Events & Happenings

Speaking about the initiative, Prof. Dr. Sanjay B. Chordiya, Founder President & Chairman, Suryadatta Education Foundation, said:

“Learning beyond the classroom connects students with the real world. Students should observe real-life situations, ask questions and explore new solutions. Through ‘Mall Minds’, we provide students with an opportunity to experience the marketplace firsthand. How does a customer think? How is technology used? How is service delivered? When students experience these aspects themselves, they develop decision-making abilities and leadership qualities. The interdisciplinary participation also enabled students to interact, collaborate and understand diverse perspectives. Learning through experience leaves a deeper and longer-lasting impact.”

Mrs. Sushama S. Chordiya, Vice President & Secretary, Suryadatta Education Foundation, said:

“For the holistic development of students, education must include experience, observation, creativity and active participation. Through ‘Mall Minds’, students looked at a familiar public space not merely as customers, but from the perspective of researchers and observers. Such experiences encourage students to look at everyday environments with greater curiosity and awareness.”

Mrs. Snehal Navalakha, Vice President, Suryadatta Education Foundation, said:

“In today’s rapidly changing professional world, knowledge limited to a single discipline is not enough. Students need to understand the interconnection between management, technology, cyber security, hospitality, fashion and design. The interdisciplinary participation in ‘Mall Minds’ enabled students to view the same business ecosystem from multiple perspectives. Observation, data collection, analysis and presentation helped strengthen their confidence and professional skills.”

Dr. Pratiksha Wable, Academic Dean, Suryadatta Education Foundation, said:
“‘Mall Minds’ provided students with an opportunity to experience the fundamentals of the research process. Students explored diverse themes including customer experience, consumer psychology, branding, technology adoption, customer service, accessibility, sustainability and the mall of the future. This process encouraged critical thinking, research orientation and problem-solving abilities.”

Pavilion Mall Becomes a ‘Living Classroom’

As part of the initiative, students were assigned various project-based field research themes, including:

• The modern consumer and customer experience
• Business ecosystems and retail practices
• Branding and customer attraction
• Consumer psychology and buying behaviour
• Technology in everyday life
• Communication and customer interaction
• Accessibility and sustainability
• Innovation and emerging trends
• ‘The Mall of 2030’

Students observed customer behaviour, retail practices, store layouts, customer service, brand presentation and various business operations. They collected information through photographs, observations, notes and other supporting evidence and analysed their findings as part of their projects.

Interdisciplinary Collaboration Across Four Institutions

The participation of students and faculty from SCMIRT, SCHMTT, SIICS and SIFT created an interdisciplinary learning environment where students experienced the interconnection of management, commerce, technology, computer science, cyber security, hospitality, fashion and design.
Working in groups under the guidance of the respective institute heads, students carried out observation, information gathering and analysis on various themes.

Learning Meets Entertainment

Adding an element of entertainment to the experiential learning initiative, a special screening of the movie ‘Hanuman Ansh’ was organised at PVR INOX, Pavilion Mall.

The screening provided students with an opportunity to reflect on values such as courage, determination, discipline, humility, responsibility, loyalty and service. These values were also connected with contemporary management competencies such as service leadership, ethical decision-making and effective communication.

A Memorable Experiential Learning Journey

The ‘Mall Minds’ initiative effectively highlighted Suryadatta Education Foundation’s commitment to experiential and interdisciplinary learning.
Expressing their enthusiasm, students said:

“Instead of visiting a mall merely for entertainment, studying its business, customer behaviour, technology and management was a completely different and memorable experience for us. The beautiful blend of learning and entertainment made this a day we will always remember.”