Symbiosis is one of India’s leading educational Institutions imparting quality education for over 30 years. Symbiosis is a family of 37 academic institutions spread across 9 campuses in and around Pune, sister city to Mumbai – India’s commercial capital, and is host to over 45,000.

A ‘Foreign Affair’ that founded Symbiosis

The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step. But, it is the first step that involves deliberation and much hesitation. The Symbiosis journey however began with a surge of enthusiasm spurred on by an incident that, in itself, makes a poignant tale.”It was afternoon on a hot day, I was standing near a window of my house overlooking the first hostel block, of which I was a rector. A strange thing happened. A girl walked up to the window of the boys’ hostel room, quickly handed over something and disappeared. My curiosity was aroused and I kept watching the girl walking up to the window day after day and suspected, like any other rector would, that an affair was afoot. So one day, I made up my mind and walked up to the door and knocked. When the door opened, I saw a Mauritian student lying in bed. His face was pale and his eyes seemed to have sunken low. I was puzzled.”

“When I turned to the boy for an explanation, he said, ‘ Sir, I have an attack of jaundice & I’m feeling extremely weak. I cannot stand up, nor walk a few steps. A girl from my country brings me food. However, since ladies are not allowed to enter the boys hostel, she hands over the tiffin box through the window.’

I was stunned. After all, it wasn’t the type of ‘affair’ I had expected. I was very much pained & decided something had to be done about this. “That was the instance, the golden moment that Symbiosis was born.”

Symbiosis is a term in life science, meaning ‘living together of two different organism, for the benefit of each other’. Dr. Mujumdar, himself a professor of botany, thought this name apt for the institution.

Thus the institution was founded to alleviate the problems faced by foreign students coming to India. At the time, these problems included – accommodation, meals, medical care, guidance, coaching, information about the city, etc.

Symbiosis has come a long way since then. Today it is home to students from more than 60 different countries. These students are offered the best learning resources, industry exposure, a strong international students’ alumni network, a global recognition, and above all, a truly enriching Indian experience.

From the President’s Desk
My dear International Brothers & Sisters
Welcome to India,
Welcome to Pune,
Welcome to Symbiosis,
You are in a country where no one is a foreigner,
Where all human races for ages, are living together.

You are in a country where teacher, mother and father are Gods,
and do you know? Where you, the guest, too, are regarded as the God.
You are in a country where women are worshipped and not merely loved,
where nothing shines like the shyness of a woman.

You are in a country where poverty & nobility live together,
where poor great are more remembered than kings & monarchs.
where sacred stones are costlier and greater, than the costliest diamonds.

You are in a country where right is might,
humility is not weakness, & where knowledge is power.

You are in a country where saints have noble past,
but sinners have nobler future.

Into this country, my international brothers & sisters,
may your stay become happier, and your mind nobler & broader.

Dr. S. B. Mujumdar
Chancellor, Symbiosis International University (SIU)