IIM Ahmedabad redesigns logo inspired by mosque 'jaali', faculty protests

The iconic logo of IIM Ahmedabad(IIM-A) is perhaps as famous as the premier B-school itself. Adopted in 1961, the logo was copyrighted in 2020. But the same logo inspired by the iconic Siddi Saiyed Mosque jaali representing Ahmedabad  is reportedly getting an overhaul amid open displeasure from a dozen-odd faculty members.

In a letter dated March 8 addressed to the director and Board of Governors (BoG), the faculty members wrote that the academic council met on March 4 and approved the change in the logo design.

"This comes as a total surprise to us as a new set of logos has been approved by the IIM-A board without informing or involving the faculty members in the process... till we do not understand the reasons for the same, we consider them as violation of existing practices which were built on the premise of faculty governance," stated the letter.

An email to IIM-A officials on the institute's stand about the issue remained unanswered as of Thursday night. While sources confirmed a letter was sent to the BoG, the institute neither confirmed nor denied either the move or the receipt of the said letter.

"The new logo does not recognize IIM-A's heritage, core purpose, and core objective," mentioned the letter, indicating that one of the logos does not carry its motto 'Vidya Viniyogat Vikas'. These will be used as international and domestic identities," indicated the letter.

Sources said that the process started with re-designing of the website according to 'international standards'.Several persons associated with the institute have expressed shock and disbelief at the move.

There is growing dissent among faculty members against the way that IIM-A is functioning, said sources close to the development. In the first instance, two senior faculty members were reportedly asked to get permission from the director's office before approaching the media.

In another, the institute reportedly sent a notice to a faculty member for recovery of a sum. The faculty member took the institute to court on the same matter where the hearing is pending, said sources. A retired professor also got involved in a spat with a senior functionary in an online group, said sources.