XLRI Global Seminar Highlights Power of Grassroots Innovation

Jamshedpur: XLRI – Xavier School of Management successfully organized a two-day international seminar and doctoral workshop to align academic research with the national vision of Viksit Bharat@2047. The event focused on transforming cultural heritage into sustainable entrepreneurial opportunities.

Redefining Culture as an Economic Driver

Titled “A Convergence: Reflections in Entrepreneurial Journey through Cultural Forms and Voices,” the seminar received support from the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) and FACES, XLRI. The initiative stems from a prestigious ICSSR research grant awarded to reposition culture as a dynamic driver of economic value and grassroots enterprise.

Prof. Vinayak and Prof. Raghu of XLRI led the project alongside Prof. Harsh Jha (IIM Udaipur) and Dr. Mukesh Kumar (Ministry of Cooperation). The event gathered over 50 cultural practitioners from Jharkhand, Odisha, and Chhattisgarh to foster a vibrant dialogue between academia and grassroots innovators.

Insights from Academic and Social Leaders

The seminar opened with powerful calls to action from various experts:

• Dr. (Fr.) Mukti Clarence, SJ (XLRI Administrator): Urged a shift from passive cultural preservation to active, dignified, and sustainable enterprise creation.

• Dr. Saurav Snehvrat (XCITE): Highlighted XLRI’s focus on rural incubation and translating academic knowledge into real-world impact.

• Amitava Ghosh (Founder, Kalamandir): Stressed the urgency of grassroots innovation and encouraged students to develop community-driven enterprises.

• Padma Shri Prof. Anil Gupta (IIM Ahmedabad): Emphasized building new value chains rooted in indigenous knowledge systems based on his recent field experiences in Gumla.

• Dr. Richa Sharma (ICSSR): Asserted that socio-cultural entrepreneurship remains key to national transformation and called for specialized research methodologies.

Voices from the Field

A major highlight featured six distinguished practitioners representing visual arts, crafts, cuisine, cinema, and folk traditions. Contributors included:

• C.R. Hembrom

• Dr. Vasavi Kiro (Torang Trust)

• Gustav Imam (Sanskriti Art Gallery)

• Gunjal Ikir Munda (RUMBUL)

• Ravi Raj Murmu (Sawanta Studio)

These experts demonstrated through lived experience how traditional knowledge can evolve into viable business models while retaining authentic cultural identity.

Doctoral Methodological Workshop

The second day shifted focus to a specialized workshop for PhD scholars. Prof. Sankalp Pratap (IIT Bombay), with support from Prof. Himadri Roy Chaudhary (XLRI) and Prof. Harsh Jha (IIM Udaipur), equipped researchers with tools to interpret cultural narratives as empirical data. The session enhanced analytical skills, helping participants derive theoretical insights from qualitative, interdisciplinary sources.