In the vast landscape of human gatherings, nothing quite compares to the Kumbh Mela. As a company, the Adani Group is still deeply engaged this year in the Mela, and, every single time I have a discussion on this subject, I am humbled by the vision our forefathers had. As someone who has built ports, airports and energy networks across India, I find myself astonished by this magnificent demonstration of what I call “spiritual infrastructure” – a force that has sustained our civilisation for millennia.
Probably The World’s Largest Management Case Study
When Harvard Business School studied the Kumbh Mela’s logistics, they marvelled at its scale. But, as an Indian, I see something deeper: the world’s most successful pop-up megacity isn’t just about numbers, it’s about eternal principles that we at the Adani Group strive to embrace.
Consider this: every 12 years, a temporary city larger than New York materialises on the banks of sacred rivers. No board meetings. No PowerPoint presentations. No venture capital. Just pure, time-tested Indian jugaad (innovation) backed by centuries of iterative learning.
The Three Indestructible Pillars of Kumbh Leadership
1. Scale with Soul
At the Kumbh, scale isn’t just about size – it’s about impact. When 200 million people gather with dedication and service, it is not just an event but a unique confluence of souls. This is what I call “spiritual economies of scale”. The larger it grows, the more efficient it becomes, not just materially but in human and humanity terms. True scale is not measured in metrics but in the moments of unity it creates.
2. Sustainable Before Sustainability Was Cool
Long before ‘ESG’ became a boardroom buzzword, the Kumbh Mela practised circular economy principles. A river is not just a source of water but the flow of life. Preserving it is a testament to our ancient wisdom. The same river that hosts millions returns to its natural state following the Kumbh, having cleansed hundreds of millions of devotees and confident that it can cleanse itself of all the “impurities” it washed away. Perhaps there’s a lesson here for our modern development paradigms. Progress, after all, is not in what we take from the earth, but in how we give back to it.
3. Leadership Through Service
The most powerful aspect? The absence of a single controlling authority. True leadership lies not in giving orders but in the ability to take everyone along. Various akharas (religious orders), local authorities and volunteers work in harmony. It is leadership through service, not dominance – a principle that modern corporations would do well to study. It teaches us that great leaders do not command or control – they create conditions for others to work together and collectively rise.
Service is devotion, service is prayer and service itself is God.
What The Kumbh Teaches Global Business
As India aims for a $10 trillion economy, the Kumbh Mela offers unique insights:
1. Inclusive Growth
The Mela welcomes everyone – from sadhus to CEOs, villagers to foreign tourists. It’s the ultimate example of what we at Adani call “Growth with Goodness”.
2. Spiritual Technology
While we pride ourselves on digital innovation, the Kumbh showcases spiritual technology – time-tested systems for managing human consciousness at scale. This soft infrastructure is as crucial as physical infrastructure in an era where the biggest threat is mental illness.
3. Cultural Confidence
In an era of global homogenisation, the Kumbh is a testament to cultural authenticity. It’s not a museum piece – it’s a living, breathing example of tradition adapting to modernity.
Is the Future Ancient?
As I walk through our ports or solar farms, I often reflect on the Kumbh’s lessons. Our ancient civilisation didn’t just build monuments – it created living systems that sustain millions. This is what we must aspire to in modern India – not just building infrastructure, but nurturing ecosystems.
And, while nations compete with military might and economic muscle, the Kumbh represents India’s unique soft power. Vasudeva Kutumbukam (the world is one family). It’s not just about hosting the world’s largest gathering, it’s about showcasing a sustainable model of human organisation that has survived millennia.
The Leadership Challenge
Therefore, for modern leaders, the Kumbh poses a profound question: can we build organisations that last not just years, but centuries? Can our systems handle not just scale, but soul? In an age of AI, climate crisis and social fragmentation, the Kumbh’s lessons are more relevant than ever and encompass the following:
- Sustainable resource management
- Harmonious mass collaboration
- Technology with a human touch
- Leadership through service
- Scale without losing the soul
The Way Forward
As India marches towards becoming a global superpower, we must remember: our strength lies not just in what we build, but in what we preserve. The Kumbh isn’t just a religious gathering – it’s a blueprint for sustainable civilisation. It is a reminder for me that true scale isn’t measured in balance sheets but in a positive impact on human consciousness.
In the Kumbh, we see the essence of India’s soft power – a power not rooted in conquest but in consciousness, not in dominance but in service. India’s true strength lies in its soul, where growth is not just economic power but a confluence of human consciousness and service. This is the lesson Kumbh teaches us – that true legacy is not in structures built, but in the consciousness we build – and that thrives for centuries.
Therefore, the next time you hear about India’s growth story, remember: our most successful project isn’t a massive port or a renewable energy park – it’s a spiritual gathering that has run successfully for centuries, serving millions without depleting resources or losing its soul.
That’s the real India story. That’s the leadership lesson the world needs now.
(Gautam Adani is Chairman, Adani Group)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author
(Disclaimer: New Delhi Television is a subsidiary of AMG Media Networks Limited, an Adani Group Company.)