Comments on "Creativity - Patterns in Thinking" held at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bangalore

It was a unique intellectual journey that I had with Prof. Shekar, when I had an opportunity to attend his sessions on “Creativity-Patterns in Thinking” conducted for research scholars at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan during August, September and October 2010. I will cherish this for a long time and hope to internalize it.

It all started with simple naive questions and reached the crescendo with demonstration of different dimensions of creativity deriving illustrations from cinema, music and painting, nicely dovetailed into one another. Professor Shekar was a performer in the class keeping us engrossed by showing the subtle aspects of creative thinking in innumerable ways, taking examples from the works of great artists - cinematographers, musicians and the like. The effects of utilizing " contrast' as a tool to stir up the imagination was the highlight.

In a nutshell, the whole course elevated our thinking, understanding and appreciation of various techniques of “Active Imagination” and this will help us in our research. Prof. Shekar’s deep understanding of various media and his keen insight into appreciation of art spanning three decades was a recipe we enjoyed throughout the course. The practical utility of such a course is immense for a researcher working in the domain of Innovation. Prof. Shekar has developed a cookbook style of presentation and has provided a tool kit for researchers.  This course in my opinion is like a fresh breath of air carrying aroma of aesthetics and is in contrast to the usually experienced dull and routine management programs taught to us hither to.
G N Viswanath

Faculty, M P Birla Institute of Management
Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Bangalore

CARTS 2012 - Comments

 

 

Thank you for offering the delightful course!

I was initially intrigued that such a different course was being offered at a B-school and opted for it, to see what was in store. The course outline looked interesting and I felt that I would be entering territories that I, deep down, had always wanted to explore but never did manage to - on account of various reasons ranging from tough luck to pure laziness. However, CARTS showed me a way to explore arts - the field of literature in which I had been interested since my childhood days (spent in the magical worlds created by the likes of Enid Blyton and J.K. Rowling) as well as the fields of music and films of which I had very little knowledge. 

I have never for a moment regretted my choice of having taken CARTS. It's literally been a joyful musical ride for me as I learnt to appreciate nuances I had never been aware of in music and I developed a strong liking towards some classic old songs which most of today's so-called numbers cannot dream of matching. Watching movies, well personally for me (except the horror movie session in which I was too scared to open my eyes), was not just a pastime as we learnt the various techniques behind their making and learnt to appreciate the creative genius of some of the best directors and cameramen. Equally wonderful and insightful were the sessions on understanding humor and identifying that it is, indeed, one of the toughest forms of art to master as well as the sessions on appreciating literature. Analyzing a cartoon film bit by bit showed us how much effort goes in, as planning as well as execution, to make people laugh and enjoy for even a few seconds. Mathematics when seen through a different lens was exciting, more so to the engineers among us who had been used to proving theorems using traditional means only.

Overall, the course has been a thoroughly enjoyable one- one that involved a lot of open-minded thinking and insightful discussions that made us take a step towards understanding the gargantuan field of arts. And, yes, who would ever say no to a course where studying for quizzes would entail watching songs on YouTube, downloading movies and reading storybooks? :)

Shilpa Suresh
PGP 2011-13, IIMB

 

CARTS, when I look back after finishing all the courses at IIMB, is one of the best courses that is being offered at IIMB. I recommend the course for two reasons a) for the unique course content and b) for the professor B. Shekar. The Course is definitely one of its kind which looks at creativity in different spheres of life.

The course begins with an Introduction to the genesis of creativity.  The recommended reading for this course is a book on creativity by David Bohm which has in-depth and very profound perspectives on creativity; it got us started with the course. I vividly remember the first question that the professor asked, “Why TV is called an Idiot Box?” and the course unfolded with a lot of questions and answers on creativity. After the introduction the professor spent few weeks on looking at creativity in Aural and Visual Media. To me, this part was the most enjoyable. Every lecture would have video clips and audio clips, and the professor would critically analyse minute details of the clips explaining the intra and inter domain metaphors and creative ingenuity of the creators and composers. After attending these lectures, watching a movie or listening to an opera was a new experience. I could appreciate the nuances of the creations much better than I could before I attended the lectures. We got introduced to the beautiful classics from Bollywood which we would not have gotten introduced to otherwise. Many clips from old Hollywood classics and animation movies are also part of the lecture. This made missing a class impossible. After studying creativity in Audio and video forms, focus shifted to drawings and paintings. Escher art was analysed from various perspectives and so were other sketches and paintings. Next in line was creativity in the realm of literature. Absorbing prose of Hugo, the eloquent writing style of Tolstoy and Chekov, and different aspects of humor were discussed in the class.

The topics handled in this course are so diverse that the final part of the course was dedicated to recognizing and appreciating creativity in Mathematics and Natural Science.

 

The big take away from this course - it broadens your perspective and makes you appreciate even the minute elements born out of a creative mind. The course introduces you to a plethora of subjects and analyses the creativity element in each of them. I found the analysis by the professor never to be superficial; it had always been in-depth and a little subjective.

 

About the professor, he is one of the friendliest professors on campus. He encourages discussion even outside classroom. His viewpoints on the various topics of creativity are unique and makes one think deeper.

Why I liked the course:

1. Entertainment + Learning 

2. Exposure to old classics in Bollywood and Hollywood

3. Introduction to creativity in numerous domains (Literature, Humour, Math, Science)

4. Exams that had audio and video clips with questions based on them.

5. The unique contents of the course

6. Professor’s Dynamism

 

Overall the course is unique and enjoyable.

Kalai Selvam KM
PGP 2011-13, IIMB

 

Truly speaking CARTS was one of the two subjects that I really enjoyed thoroughly, right from the beginning till the end of the course. The four broad areas that were touched upon were movies, music, paintings and literature; and all four had influenced me at some point in my life. Hence the course proved very interesting and on a different plane provided me with certain tools and techniques to appreciate their beauty.

The collection of music used to exemplify each aspect of the creativity was simply superb, especially the Hindi and Malayalam numbers. Though I knew a bit about painting before attending the lectures, the classes proved interesting because of the discussions with regard to the Impressionist paintings and Escher’s works. Inspired by this, I later went on to explore Impressionists’ work in depth, at Van Gogh museum in Amsterdam. Though familiar with Indian movies, I hadn't seen many English movies. The classes introduced me to the world of English movies, especially many of the classics by Hitchcock and his likes. 

To list down a  few value-adds: 1) the course provided me with a clearer picture of things that attract me - when listening to a song or watching a video. By spotting some of these elements while experiencing a creative work helps you enjoy it better. 2) An exercise which I really enjoyed was "imagining the flow of the story of a movie" by trying to predict the next scene. Listing the possibilities often helped me to think beyond the set flow of things. 3)Trying to fill a song's music (at a blank portion) was a very challenging as well as interesting exercise. 4) Learning about film editing -  linear and non-linear was a great experience. Later, this helped me enjoy a movie better.

Abraham Praveen
PGP 2011-13, IIMB

In his first lecture Prof. Shekar urged us to come to the class with an open mind devoid of any skepticism. A reflective mind is indeed a critical requirement to learn the finer aspects of this course aptly titled as Creativity in Arts and Science. Many students believe that this course is different from the regular MBA courses and focuses on creativity in Music, literature and science, which is correct but only partially. The course is certainly unique because Professor Shekar has chosen a creative way to teach us about the finer aspects of creativity but it’s no different from any other MBA courses. There is tremendous amount of learning in this course which could be applied in fields like marketing, design and communication. The only requirement is as professor suggests; keep your minds open and learn to look beyond the obvious and if you do follow this advice you will find that CARTS is actually a multi-disciplinary course which covers, though subtly, areas of Marketing, design, and communication.

 

I liked the examination pattern and it was totally in line with what the course stands for. As rightly said at the begining, this course is not for cynics. Which is quite right because cynicism blocks your mind and it does not allow you to appreciate the subtleness and intricacies of creative people’s work.  Before joining this course I was very much interested in looking at the art work of people like Eduard Manet, Salvadore Dali but could never decipher the meaning behind their work and certainly I never thought that one could also draw a metaphorical correspondence between music and Image- the two seemingly different things. The exam helped me realize that there is one harmony which is binding every creative work, ever done in any field. I am really thankful for bringing a paradigm shift in my perspective on creativity.

I would strongly recommend this course to those who find it difficult to appreciate the underlying beauty in music, films and paintings and to those who wish to learn non-traditional business concepts free of 2x2 matrices and questionnaires and to those who want to gain the super human capability of watching and enjoying any film on the planet because watching anything the ‘CARTS Way’ can make it an ultimate experience in itself.

Rahul KM
PGP 2011-13, IIMB

 

It is the only course which does not fall in line with the usual management subjects like marketing or finance. The content of the course allowed me to reflect on creativity, especially in Indian cinema, where with limited resources, the movie makers of a bygone era made maximum use of these resources to instil life in a movie.

Even the pedagogy, where half – completed paintings were shown to bring our imagination to life is worth mention here because usually most courses have a certain structure and direction where one’s application of imagination is limited. From Escher’s woodwork to JMW Turner paintings – the course has covered many aspects on creativity.

Even though I do listen to music, it is the course that has enabled me to discern the minute tones that are incorporated in a piece of music – the effects of shadowing of musical instruments is entirely new for me.

I could go on and on, but I consider the above mentioned points as being most important takeaways from the course. I sincerely request to keep the course in the curriculum for many years to come so that more students can be benefited from the course.

Larry Cooper Banks 

PGP 2011-13, IIMB

 

Creativity in arts and science course which was offered to us in Term – 4 was a unique and enriching elective for students.

Coming from primarily engineering background, we tend to have a very analytical mindset. Although it is good, but not enough to be successful in corporate world. Increasingly there is growing demand to have a creative approach in whatever we do. In such a scenario, CARTS plays a key role in broadening our perspective and introducing the concepts and application of creativity in various fields. Apart from stimulating the right half of the brain, the course also helped us to absorb the concepts and think through where and how they can be potentially leveraged in real life situation.

 

Eternal classic songs, memorable videos, rich literature and knowledgeable-cum-helpful professor, made the course a complete enriching and lively experience.

P Supreet Kumar

PGP 2011-13, IIMB

To be frank when I bid for CARTS, I bid for a subject which would be very minimal in terms of workload. Also I did not expect to learn anything out of it. But I was amazed at the amount of knowledge I gained by just sitting in the class with an open mind. Getting an opportunity to analyze the patterns, the effects and various other techniques which were used in various art forms which helped them make the masterpiece that they have become today was truly an unforgettable experience. Getting a chance to learn this course from Prof.Shekar, whose enthusiasm and energy levels still boggles me, is an added bonus . Nobody could have done justice for this course apart from Prof.Shekar whose never ending thirst for knowledge just adds life to this course and has helped CARTS grow by leaps and bounds over the past few years. I can confidently say that among the several courses which I have taken over the past 2 years in IIMB, CARTS is among the select few which will forever remain in my mind.

Sashank Naik

PGP 2011-13, IIMB

Creativity in Arts and Sciences in my opinion, is probably the most unique course that one can expect to study as part of formal MBA education. Keeping in mind that most students come from technical backgrounds, the course offers an opportunity to look at things with a very different and novel lens. It exposes the students to various nuances of creativity and associated techniques, ranging from aural to visual, and is a fascinating experience. Every student’s take away from the elective is very personal and inimitable but everyone is bound to learn and appreciate some of the more simple yet subtle aspects around us.

Shobhit Agrawal
PGP 2011-13, IIMB

As soon as we entered in B-School, creativity became a buzz word. Creativity in management, decision making, problem solving were the typical words I heard but never got an opportunity to experience creativity in reality. But then I came across CARTS course in Term 4. For the first time in my management studies, I came across a subject that gave me  great insights about creative elements in music, cinematography and mathematics, which I had never acknowledged before. It provided new perspective to experience the subtlety hidden in every form and the big difference it creates in transforming a piece of object into a creative master piece. My biggest take away from this course for my management career is ‘Creativity is not a rocket science. It’s an approach to mould the situation to explore new meaningful outcomes.’

Shirish Ashok Gaikwad
PGP 2011-13, IIMB

Though the course is titled Creativity in Arts and Science, this is not a course that teaches you creativity. One would not be wise to think that creativity can be taught in a classroom. This is a course that teaches you how to appreciate creativity. This course teaches you about finer nuances of art in its various forms - painting, sculpture, music, theater, dance - that many a time goes under-appreciated. This course gives you an insight into the thought process that goes through the creator's mind while coming up with something new. Such a perspective is essential to understand the wider purpose of art - as a means of expression. The course then further, albeit superficially touches upon the relevance of creativity in the world of science and how important it is to be creative and appreciative of creativity to enhance and enjoy human knowledge.
Noufal Mohamed Basheer

PGP 2011-13, IIMB
 

I loved the concept and the idea behind the course. I strongly believe the need for management executives to be creative and this course does very well to stimulate and encourage creativity in students. I loved the classes and thought you did an excellent job describing the creative aspects of some great masterpieces. I believe the course does very well in helping us see aspects in art works which otherwise just skipped our eyes and ears (the concepts of shadows/silhouettes for instance). So overall, I felt very positive about the course content and pedagogy.

Saurabh Bansal
PGP 2011-13, IIMB
 

I think it is a welcome difference to the usual courses offered and offers something to test and tap the creativity in us. Though I am not a connoisseur of music or art, I was able to appreciate the subtleties in art forms and thoroughly enjoyed the course. The course material has good content which provides scope for us to explore creativity in different forms of arts and science. There are seldom exams that students enjoy taking and CARTS assessment tests were very different and creative and well received by the students.

Karthik Manivannan

PGP 2011-13, IIMB

Attending CARTs sessions were a joy as we not only got an opportunity to listen to some of the most beautiful songs and art of yesteryears but we also got expert commentary through our professor post the viewing. It increased our sensitivity to creative elements in the fields covered as part of the course. I also started noticing and appreciating creativity in everyday life.

Before the course, I thought creativity was the encumbrance of certain domains like arts, music, and design; but the presentations which the groups made throughout the course highlighted my ignorance and made me realize how less attractive and interesting life would be without the pervasiveness of creativity. We keep hearing about critically-acclaimed movies, documentaries, etc.; but I feel creativity would've been central for anything to obtain acclaim. In summary, I feel the course provided the much needed intellectual boosters for my education to take off.

Prakash P

PGP 2011-13, IIMB

 

A comment on CARTS from a Musician student.

First I want to start by thanking you. I had been to Chennai on a short music assignment.

The insights from the CARTS (Creativity in Arts and Science) course at IIM Bangalore was really helpful and I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.

First, while taking this course; let me be very frank, I was not that convinced except for the fact that I need not spend hours preparing for this.

I don’t know how others have benefited from this but I have gained a lot; especially the discussions on films thru contrast have helped me while re-recording stuff thru better anticipation.

T.Srirathivarman

PGP 2009-11, IIMB

CARTS 2011 - Comments

The first song I heard at CARTS was ‘Dil Khush Hai Aaj Unse-Ghazal’ and it has left an ever lasting imprint on my life. CARTS was beauty all over. It was by far, the only course where I attended 21 sessions out of a requisite 20 (one session attended with the other batch!). I blended with the music, art, drama, literature discussed in class and almost mouthed what the Professor was going to say, 2 seconds before he did!

There was a great connect established between the Master and each Pupil! We were led on a purposeful exploration of the creative balance that existed in nature. That which never disturbed but only accentuated happiness. We were urged to identify the simple yet profound aspects of the same. Be it the musical brilliance created by stalwarts such as SD Burman, RD Burman, the richness of instruments from peppy pipe to violin shadows, the enchanting voices of Lata, Asha, Kishore Kumar, etc, the confounding charms of Maurice Escher, the feathered horrors of Hitchcocks’s ‘The Birds’, the helplessness in Satyajit Ray’s ‘Sadgati’, the sand art, the yodelling, the comic fantasies and so on, CARTS called out the most basic of beauty and I was completely enamoured.  

How powerful can silence be, how fearful can darkness get, how lonely can a shadow be, how haunting can an echo get? CARTS helps you realise all these and much more. It is a compelling subject, a culmination of deep study, one that triggers an intense thought process, but allows you to spot the answer only if you’re relaxed, calm and patient.

Personally, CARTS was a timely baton that helped me transition from the humdrum of first year to a much sweeter, lively and memorable second year. It added a spring in my step and outlook. Never did I think I would be sitting in such a unique course that too in MBA curriculum but it was worth every moment.

About the Professor, here was an accomplished Mathematician teaching Creativity. He would put all his energy into endless research and has hence mastered the art of identifying a masterpiece. He took us back in time when life was much simpler and left us there. A person who has taken time off to appreciate the finer aspects of life, I’m glad he did and much more glad that I did too!
Aarthi Priyadharshini T
PGP 2010-12, IIMB

I do not want to let go the opportunity to tell you that CARTS (in term IV) was one of the best courses I have done at IIMB. Few inventions of mankind match up to the pleasure (and learning) provided by books, music and motion pictures. And this course has honestly made all these media much more enjoyable for me.

Deepak Maloo
PGP 2010 - 12, IIMB

My main motivation in joining this course was your teaching methodology itself. Sir, you had mentioned that you would be using songs both audio/video and paintings as a medium to discuss various aspects of creativity. I thoroughly enjoyed them because, it rekindled the liking towards old melodies. There were other aspects such as reflection and voids in music, which I knew existed, before this course, but I could never appreciate the significance of it. The class was always glued to your teaching because there was something new that would come up in a song that was being played. For me it was one of the best courses that I had in IIM Bangalore.

Subin Balasubramaniam K

PGP 2010 - 12, IIMB

A course that is interesting and more importantly ,refreshing.

In this course, I learnt to appreciating finer aspects of everyday visual and aural phenomena. While many art enthusiasts have taken this course, this actually caters to a wider target segment. For anyone who has not been gifted with the ability to enjoy art from childhood (Yes, one needs ability not just to create art but even to enjoy art), this is like a crash course from a layman’s perspective. Above all, this is one class where one can truly have fun instead of using management jargon and cooking up meaningless 4x4 diagrams!

R. Shankar
PGP 2010-12, IIMB



I found the CARTS course refreshingly different from the regular MBA courses that I have undergone during the PGSEM program. The course is focused on the creativity part in music, movies, literature and even some of the elegant mathematical proofs! I used to look forward to attending the CARTS classes, since they used to show some of the poignant scenes from some of the best classical movies of the world, or play some of the best music the world has produced. The analysis that CARTS Professor did in the class also opened up for me a new way of looking at and appreciating films, music, literature, humor, etc - something I sorely lacked being trained and worked in Engineering and IT and always looking at things from an analytical and quantitative angle rather than the creative way. I think this course had a beneficial impact in opening up my mind on areas which I used to view as nebulous and lacking structure - which I now understand that there indeed is an underlying structure to creativity in music, arts & literature.

Each CARTS class was well-conducted with lot of thought going into conducting them. The high degree of preparation by the Professor clearly showed, and the time was well managed. The Professor was also open to feedback from the students, without losing control of the discussion in the class. I thank the Professor for this course and help broadening my mind.
Ritabrata Bhaumik,
PGSEM - 2012, IIMB


Creativity in Arts and Science is one of those few courses that I strongly recommended to my friends. CARTS is such a unique course the sorts of which I had never seen before or after. I never had the heart to miss a single lecture and I knew that all my friends shared the same feeling towards this course. If you are looking for a course which does not rely on literature that already exits, and rather deals with more of observation and learning this one is for you. There will be a lot of moments in future after this course when you will recollect some concepts and cherish !

There is a lot of fun in this learning process as you get an exposure to some of the World's best compositions in all forms of art. Even taking up exams was more fun than you can possible imagine. This course will bring to light the amount of creativity and thinking that goes into constructing a single piece of art be it music, painting, a piece of prose or even a video. This journey in art will be a totally different approach altogether from your other usual management courses and will certainly improve your observations and creativity that you will need in everyday life.
Priyadharsini. B
PGP 2009 - 11, IIMB



By far, this has been one of the best courses offered to us. I learnt quite a bit and I thoroughly enjoyed doing so. You gave us an opportunity to experience some of most brilliant creative pieces to have ever been created. But for you, I would have never gotten to know about many of these classics. I can say with confidence that it has left a deep impact on many of us. It is not uncommon to hear “La Noyee” or Hum Dono songs playing in many of our hostel blocks even today.

Be it RD’s musical masterpieces, Hitchcock’s brilliant movies or Tolstoy’s literary works, every one of the creative works presented in class coupled with your insights and asides made every class a truly enriching and enjoyable experience. Personally I have experienced many “Aha” moments when you explained the rich creative elements present in many of the pieces. This has been a truly wonderful journey!
Aishwarya A
PGP 2010 - 12, IIMB

Creativity in Arts and Sciences is a unique course in IIMB. The only prerequisite for this course is an open mind and in return the students are rewarded with a wealth of rich experiences. There is exposure to arguably the best music chosen diligently from Hindi and Tamil movies and western classical music as well. Interesting topics such as geometry and literature are also covered. This course provides a glimpse into the work of maestros like Escher, S.D. Burman, Euclid, Alfred Hitchcock, Victor Hugo and stress is laid on the various creative elements used by them. Concepts such as contrast, symmetry and reflection are covered in great detail and attention is drawn towards their effective usage in different domains of art. All in all this course is a melting pot of all good things.
Shruti Johari
PGP 2009 - 11, IIMB

CARTS – A Note from the Heart

“Creativity in Arts and Science? You must be kidding me! I belong to the crème de la crème in the country, a bona fide student of Management, pursuing a degree from an institute whose repute makes people turn green with envy. I don’t need a course in the Arts”.

You could be forgiven for reacting thus at the very mention of such a course. Prima Facie, this course might indeed seem out of place in an institute like ours, but is not necessarily out of scope. If there’s one thing Management gurus the world over agree upon, it’s got to be the importance of innovation in an organization. And innovation is but an expression of creativity. In order to be able to innovate consistently, it is essential to learn how to appreciate creativity; which is what this course is all about. That should put to rest any qualms about, “what is my take-away from this course?” or rather, “is there any take-away at all?” This course might not be many things, but it certainly is a welcome change from the spate of projects and assignments, not to talk of typical B-school classroom sessions – hegemonies of 2X2 matrices and entry and exit strategies, which we are only too used to.

The course starts off with a peek into the world of music composers of yore, a generation that had to live in a world devoid of software; a time when real instruments had to be used to compose music. As the course wound its way down labyrinths of shadows and reflections, of whose existence I was oblivious to till then, it slowly dawned on me why composers like SD Burman or singers like Kishore Kumar deserve their places in the pantheon of all time great musical maestros. They had pioneered musical traditions, set new standards, and in all, had left a legacy behind, which their successors had built on. Just when you begin to think it can’t get any better, enter movies – a culmination of creativity on probably every front known to man. I’ve forever been unable to explain why I love certain movie sequences, while I don’t think much of certain others. I’d dismissed this to be just a bias owing to my particular tastes and opinions; but this still doesn’t explain why some movies are loved by all and a precious few are even accorded global recognition. We get to know why. The professor sheds light on the copious amount of work that goes behind perfecting every frame, the importance of timing, how seamless transitions need to be, how even a seemingly harmless shadow across a person’s face can be a subliminal message and the traits of a movie worth repeat viewings – or to put it succinctly, the makings of a classic.

Loyalists of Keats’ School of Art, who advocate that “heard melodies are sweet, but those unheard are sweeter still”, might not favour the idea of breaking art down to this extent and even argue that subtleties are better appreciated if left alone and not analysed critically thus. And as further propounded by Vairamuthu, “Kavidhai variyin suvai... artham puriyum varai...”*, a critical, analytical and scientific view of art might not be everyone’s supper; but this glorious revelation of creativity and its sublime beauty set in the context of our PGP course, if anything, will only serve to manifold the respect and appreciation scientific morons like we, have towards the arts. And hence, the course is justified. The best part is that we begin to see even our favourite movies, the ones we’ve watched over and over again, in a whole new light.

And the professor has accorded art, science and literature their fair share of time too, for good measure. It would surprise us to know that even Mathematics, conceived to be the purest of all sciences, would be bereft of the meteoric growth it had witnessed over the ages, had art not played its part. People like Maurice Escher, who would’ve been complete strangers to many prior to the course, would be revered by the time the course is over and done with. My biggest regret is that dance, the only art form which exists in both time and space, has been left, out in the cold. This angst of mine is further fuelled by the fact that I’ve been in love with Dance since as far back as I can remember and that I believe I can be counted amongst its scores of proud, passionate exponents.

If art is at the heart of the course, then at its soul is Professor Shekar, whose genial and inimitable style makes it so hard not to enjoy the course. His enthusiasm and ebullience are truly infectious and verily, I’ll be grateful if I am half as energetic as the man is when I’m his age – superior stuff.

A note of caution: do not expect the course to hit the ground running. Because, the course bears an uncanny resemblance to our Indian Cricket Team, which, in any series, similarly, first strolls, then jogs and canters before it cruises.

If you happen to be a connoisseur of books, movies and music, then you’ll lap this course up the way I did. If you’re not, then this is your chance to become one. As they say, there’s always a first time.

Balasubramanian A

PGP 2009-11, IIMB

* From the song “Netru Illadha Matram”; movie: “Pudhiya Mugam”

 

CARTS 2010 - Comments

CARTS was my first “formal” exposure to the field of creativity & arts. Till that point I believed that the field was completely abstract and esoteric – hence not suited to the rationality-oriented minds.

However, coming from a pure science & technology background, it was a welcome & refreshing experiment to opt for this course. The curriculum provides a framework to appreciate not only man-made “masterpieces” especially in music, arts, literature and scientific discoveries, but also helps educate & train one’s senses & sensibilities to treasure the various natural creations around us.

While going through this course, I got a glimpse of the “method to the madness” in the field of creativity & arts. I understood better why certain songs & pieces of music feel so haunting, why certain paintings are so mesmerizing, why certain pieces of literature are all-time classics, what situations create humor, and how have great thinkers tapped into their creative side to discover unprecedented solutions and expressed profound ideas in concise but powerful & creative forms – many of which changed the course of mankind.

My overall experience of CARTS was enhanced by Prof. Shekar’s own passion for the subject, his breadth & depth of knowledge in this field, and his ability to bring lucid examples from diverse fields at ease (including his core specialization in Quantitative Methods & Information Systems). It’s elevating to realize that creativity & rationality are parts of the same “continuum”.
Avnish Kshatriya
PGSEM, IIMB


"Creativity in Arts and Sciences is a well rounded course that seeks to establish a firm relationship between creativity, the medium in which it is presented and the author. It enables the student to analyze a work of art by identifying its component elements and investigating how those elements are connected together using creative approaches. Music, visual media and literature were taken in turns by Prof Shekar who did an exemplary job of explaining how specific tools are used to produce creative works of art in each of these.

Personally, the biggest takeaway I got from this course is the realization that the underlying tenets of creativity remain the same in all forms of art. One needs to implement them in an aesthetically pleasing manner. The talent and originality of the author dictates the difference here. The concept of creativity and its implementation in Arts and Sciences is too vast a field to cover in a single term, but Prof Shekar conducts a tight and well organized course that leaves the student much better equipped to further his/her own investigations into the subject, which is what education is all about."
Sandeep S Nair
PGP 2009-11, IIMB


The CARTS course gave me a fresh perspective of looking at art, cinema, literature and music. I have begun to notice a change in the way I have started noticing and appreciating the finer details of these. The biggest takeaway from the course is that creativity demands hard work and anyone can be creative if they make an attempt. Creativity has no defined scope - we can be creative in almost anything we wish to be creative in. I hope in the future this course also introduces "creativity in decision making", which I feel will be very useful for managers.
Monisha Nakra
PGP 2009-11, IIMB


In today’s fast-paced and complex environment, whether one pursues a management, artistic or administrative career, it has become highly important to be able to come up with new ideas, to be able to quickly solve problems, and adapt to different scenarios. As the world moves towards automation of manual work and development of intellectual property, creativity has become the most important asset of an individual who wants to meaningfully contribute to his or her family, firm, community and country. Moreover, creative ability provides deep emotional satisfaction to the self. The question is, how does one become consistently creative?

It has traditionally been thought that creativity is an innate gift, or that some people simply are more creative than others due to the hard-wiring in their brains. This is true only to a certain extent. Creativity is as much a process as anything else. As Arthur Koestler argues in his excellent book 'The Act of Creation', a new idea is formed when two distinct patterns of thought clash or combine with each other. For different thought patterns to exist, one has to first be open-minded and accept different points of view. One has to embrace chaos, generate a million strands of thought, and then let these strands combine merrily. David Bohm has argued that creativity lies in creating orders from previous simpler orders. While going through mechanistic activities, sometimes we come across conflicting thoughts or dilemmas. Those who enjoy them and work on them break barriers and get new insights. Those who shun dilemmas or chaos in effect shun their potential to be creative.

Given the above, the first step towards becoming creative is getting exposed to the creations of the greats, and to learn to appreciate their creations. Whether it is Escher’s use of tessellations and his paintings of impossible objects, or Archimedes’ leaps of imaginations in geometry, or Hugo’s writings which awe you with their literary and philosophical excellence, history is scattered with many masterpieces and gems. To be able to delight in them and understand them is the first step in joining the company of the greats. While we are it, it is important to reiterate that the creative process is not just applicable to science, mathematics and fine arts. These fields are often referred because they survive solely on creative activity. In fact, the creative process is applicable to every human endeavor, and to every facet of life.

In this light, I would highly recommend the course ‘Creativity in Arts and Sciences’ taught by Prof. B Shekar. Not only does he introduce you to beautiful music, movies, literature and science, he lets you explore deeper with highly effective theories that he has formed in over twenty years. These theories help to explain what consciously and unconsciously goes on in the mind of an artist, and how an artist is influenced and builds upon the works of others. For instance, music that appears pleasing to the ears is rarely so by accident or chance. A musician faces a number of trade-offs, controls many variables, and highly engineers the final output. Creativity especially comes into its own against such odds. In fact, one of the principal benefits of the course is that you will be able to intelligently analyze a creative work instead of just satisfying yourself with layman impressions.

Another big plus is the high energy and enthusiasm with which the professor teaches the course, which leads to students actively participating in the discussions. These often result in interesting and interactive sessions. Passion is important in all activities for excellence, but nowhere is it more important than original work. Good ideas don’t come easily; it is only when we truly believe in something that we are able to synthesize something new. So while you enjoy the course and learn about creativity, remember that the professor is teaching you an equally important thing, the passion for creativity. And do lend your opinions during the discussions. They will be highly appreciated.
Kalpesh Muchhal
PGP 2009-11, IIMB


CARTS was a unique course in almost every aspect. I felt it was aimed at giving the students an opportunity to observe and experience the day-to-day things differently, which many of us overlook because of the hectic lifestyle. The entire course was like a composition where one could calmly lean back in the chair and listen to the various perspectives with which different people see the same thing differently. A major section of the course was on creativity in different arts and it was very interesting to note the different concepts that go into directing a film or a music piece. After this course, I can say that I have begun appreciating movies, music, art etc. much more as now I am able to identify the different elements which the director weaves together to produce the desired effect. This is a course unlike any other offered at IIMB and is definitely worth experiencing.
Tushar Sharma
PGP 2009-11, IIMB


Throughout my entire MBA, both in Ireland and during my time at IIMB, no other course asked me to think in the way we were encouraged to think in CARTS. An MBA naturally is intensely theory based and involves a great deal of ‘tried and tested’ approaches. CARTS challenged all these norms and in my opinion gave us a strong basis for effective creative thinking that can empower us to find better solutions or approach problems from new found perspectives.

Not only was it deeply interesting and engaging to learn about classic art, film and music, focusing a great deal on the Hindi genre, it was possible to apply the learning’s from the class into everyday business and life situations, which have already been of great benefit to me. In fact, recently I found myself referring to Turner’s Art in the context of communication and incorporated it into a presentation that I made in Dublin to good effect.

I believe this course has helped me to delve into a part of the brain that I had previously failed to activate. The phrase, “do what you have always done, get what you have always got’ comes to mind as CARTS is a course that prevents us from staying in the comfort of our ingrained or accepted way of thinking, and asks us to delve a little deeper and approach things differently, which can help us discover new frontiers!

Thank you Sir for your unbridled passion and energy. It’s infectious and for that alone your course is not to be missed, let alone the other factors that make it so beneficial and unique in the modern day business school.
John McInroy
Exchange Student 2010, IIMB


What I learnt?To appreciate the art in science and math, and to appreciate the math in music and art. Earlier I used to like paintings that were almost real, now I have learnt to appreciate art in all its forms and glories.

What was good ?
The course had an alluring and eclectic collection of art and music and cinema clippings that were mind boggling. Not just music catering to various sections of the class but also, the lectures on seeking and appreciating art in its bare bones form was quite enthralling. To prove simple yet profound concepts like Pythagoras theorem practically and to see it from the mathematician’s eye was quite exquisite. This coupled with Mathematicians biography and their true life stories made the class interesting.

This was the first time, I was introduced to Escher’s art work and to the book les Miserables. Being an ex-painter, Escher’s works were stupefying.

On the whole this course rocked!!
Sumathi
PGP 2008-10, IIMB


The course you have offered was really “Great”. To me, the perspective with which I used to look at any creative work (may be song, novel, even mathematic equations etc) has changed.

Earlier I used to appreciate them very subtly, but now I can look (more correctly, trying to look) at the underlying microscopic creative elements which are not so obvious. Though I have no exposure/understanding of classical music and even I don’t know how to play a musical instrument, but it is you and your smooth and effective teaching effort which made me find beauty and creativity in it.
Manish Kumar Urele
PGP 2009-11, IIMB


I would like to thank you for initiating and teaching this refreshing course in the Institute.
I really admire the infectious enthusiasm that you bring to the class, in spite of obvious detractors. I hope that I’m able to garner some of it in my work and life ahead and learn to do what I love doing despite any objections or criticisms.

I’m an avid reader and writer and liked the fact that you included one of my authors – Chekov. I’m especially thankful to you for introducing me to the wonderful world of cinema. One that I was unable to appreciate given the kind of movies that we are exposed to.

The learnings from this course might not be tangible but I’m sure that I shall carry them with me hereafter in life.
Thank you for the one of the most pleasant classes I have taken so far. I hope and wish that you continue to keep running the course hereafter as well.
Madhulika Kaul
PGP 2009-11, IIMB


My taking up CARTS was unplanned - that quarter, I did not participate in the elective choosing process as I had decided to take a break - and later when I realized I should/must plod on with the courses, it was one of the few courses available to me. I forget but it might even have just been allotted to me by some PGSEM staff.

I came in as to most of my courses in the 2nd year after the first weekend - where the context is set - so I did not have a clue in the first class what to expect. I saw you with Bose speakers, playing some nice Carnatic music, and just sat back to enjoy it. It got more and more interesting from there.

I am not sure if you had meant to answer these questions in the course of the course - but I was able to find answers to my longstanding questions that I had - "Why are men attracted to woman", "Why do we like Banturithi or A R Rahman", "Why are we stunned by the visual beauty of a Van Gogh" - Further, sitting through the course made me ask myself what "liking something" was, what "attraction is" - resonance with the Golden ratio in some form?

I had always felt there was a formula to churning out pop hits - and your first few classes on sounds - proved there was indeed a pattern to a hum-worthy song. One more thing I hopefully wont forget from the class is the realization that silence is aural blackness.

I could go on about more things that I learnt, but the key thing was offbeat courses play creative catalysts - help us find inspiration, think of things beyond the ordinary, for life, anything beautiful - a Mozart, a Alfred Hitchcock is extraordinary.

For the cutthroat, quant-driven hordes trying to make the I-Banks and McKinseys, or plod through their course requirements, this course is highly recommended - if only to make them think differently, to pause and ponder, and aim either for something different or aim for the same thing differently.
Vinod Kannan
PGSEM, IIMB

CARTS 2009 - Comments

A truly experiential course, CARTS demands an open mind as the student is introduced to a fresh perspective on everything regular and mundane through an exploration of works of arts and concepts of science, all of which are contributions from geniuses along the ages. The course, for me, was a journey during which I saw how the shift in focus from the material components to the implicit patterns allows a magical epiphany, and a leap from mere hearing to listening, an appreciation of the semantic, as well as the syntactic, and how the meaningless becomes the meaningful, giving rise to a new level of consciousness.

Professor Shekar presents it such that the various "modules" of the course mirror each other, hence leading to a self-looping, and this only accentuates the excitement of exploring ideas and basking in the genius of those who were. Though highly subjective in nature, as it is more about looking at everything with a fresh pair of eyes in an almost abstract manner, it is one of the most lively and interesting courses I have taken at IIMB. I believe that for those who are willing to learn and experience the course, it has the potential of being the chaotic flutter of the butterfly's wings.
Arun Sagar
PGP 2008-10, IIMB

The course is a very nice detour from the other courses at IIMB in terms of its content, style and delivery. I particularly liked the Music and Film part of the course which gives an insight into the subtle creative elements existent in the wide ocean of Music and Celluloid. The best thing about the course was that one did not need any prior knowledge in any of the domains, but just a mind open to appreciation.
Jishnu Batabyal
PGP 2008-10, IIMB

Creativity and … (CARTS) is a course which is one of its kind in IIM Bangalore. It explains the different elements that make a piece of art beautiful, and helps an untrained person appreciate a piece of music or literature better. One of the most endearing aspects of this course is that it does not require the student to have any prior knowledge of music or literature to enjoy or appreciate this course. In fact, in my personal opinion, the lesser the preconceived notions one has about art or beauty, the more she will be able to appreciate this course. The workload is very reasonable, and the learning happens almost entirely in the classroom. Highly recommended for those who want to do something different at IIM Bangalore.
Pushan Sengupta,
PGP 2008-10, IIMB
IIT Delhi graduate
Currently with Boston Consulting Group

This was one out-of-the-blue course at IIMB that I enjoyed attending classes for! Whether you like it or not, the way you look at music/movies/art will change after you take these classes. A welcome difference from the typical MBA classes one gets used to.
Vishwanath S
PGP 2008-10, IIMB

Comments on Patterns of Problem Solving (POPS)

My decision to take this course stems from a keen interest in puzzles which dates back to my school days. This interest deepened during my under-graduate days (as a Computer Engineer) when I got my initial exposure to Graph Theory and Heuristic-based problem solving. The POPS course has been a thoroughly enjoyable one, and at the same time has enriched me with a wide gamut of approaches to solve puzzles - conventional and otherwise. The classes were stimulating, and the exams provided challenging opportunities to apply what we have learnt in the class. In particular, I would like to mention the Chess sessions and Decryption exercises - which comprise my favourite part of the course.

Ritaban Dey

PGP 2011-13

Patterns of Problem Solving course is one of the most unique courses at IIM Bangalore. This course forces one to think out of the box. The entire emphasis is on the in-class learning. Prof. Shekar made sure that course content was varied and a plethora of topics were covered in the course. If given an opportunity, I will definitely like to take the course again as I am pretty sure that there would still be a new learning. Thank you Prof. Shekar for such an interesting course.

Mihir Mogre,

PGP 2011-13

Assistant Manager, Samsung India

Patterns of Problem Solving offered by Prof. Shekar is one of those few courses offered as a part of MBA curriculum, which is oriented towards developing logical  and lateral thinking rather than merely exposing the student to pre-existing frameworks. The course is augmented by  an excellent pedagogy which involves problems cutting across varied fields – from stories of Sherlock Holmes to hardcore sequencing problem, from engaging tan-gram exercises to reveling in a game of chess. The emphasis is on leading the student to think for him/her self rather than providing the solution. Prof. Shekar provides a very conducive and relaxed environment for students to think hard and learn by doing.

Shobhit Agrawal

PGP 2011-13

Management education makes student think in a very rigid and patterned way to find the solution to any problem. In this process, we miss out lot of essential elements which are not stated in the problem solving structure. But POPS helped me to look at the problems from a different point of view. May be, for the first time, I was experiencing what is ‘Out of the Box’ thinking. It took us away from stereotypical way of problem solving and made us think about where to attack the problem to find answers. A session with Tangram kits was the most exciting one. It made us aware about our rigid thought process and encouraged to come out of mental restrictions. I thoroughly enjoyed this course and I am confident that insights from POPS would help me to deal with day to day problems in my corporate life.

Shirish Ashok Gaikwad

PGP 2011-13

Despite my fear for maths in general and anything to do with a lot of logic in particular, I took this course just to see how i would perform! The first 2 classes of theory in fact made me wonder if it was worth it !!! But truly speaking, I simply loved every single class after that ! Though there were extremely brilliant students in the class, I never felt too de-motivated at any time, since this course was refreshingly new and interesting too!

We learn so much stuff in other courses, mostly knowledge! But POPS, was different! Chess, puzzles, jumbled words, movies...all were so good !

Despite the low grade I received ( due to my own inabilities !!), I would definitely recommend this course! One of the best courses that I have done here. Most of all, the professor was extremely enthusiastic all throughout, which made every session great !

Aruna Ranganathan
PGP 2008-10
Procter and Gamble


This without any doubt has been my favourite course at IIMB. For people who like crosswords or anagrams or number puzzles or chess, this course is highly recommended. The joy of solving puzzles can hardly be experienced elsewhere. Each session brought with it a new genre of problem solving which required logic, out of the box thinking and the ability to recognize patterns. There is something for everyone in this course as long as one does not expect the learning to be directly applicable later on in life. This is one course which should be taken up just for its own sake.

Shruti Johari

PGP - 2009 - 11, IIMB

 

 

POPS is one of my favourite subjects at IIMB. I suggest my juniors this as must do course; I enjoyed the full course and especially the quizzes. I may forget many things happened to me at IIMB but not those quizzes, they are really good. All the course content is simply awesome. My favourite part of this course is TANGRAMS and Mid Term Quiz.

Thanks for teaching us this course.

Ramakrishna Reddy PV

PGP - 2013-14, IIMB

 

 

 

POPS is undoubtedly one of the best courses offered in IIMB. I would like to elaborate on why it was the best through my personal experience.

1. Free Flow Of Energy: The course encourages conscious communication within us & with others thus leading to free flow of energy, ideas & thoughts. The course itself scintillates with energy as it teaches us to think beyond obvious.

2.Grey Cells Challenged: The course titillates our little grey cells through its many thought-provoking class assignments, activities & quizzes. Class assignments are indeed tricky, thrilling & captivating. The problem solving approaches taught to us by our Prof. Shekar B further teaches us to "Think Simple Yet Think Innovatively". 

Thus the course was a quality learning experience as it focussed on different aspects of learning i.e conceptualization, contextualization, active construction of knowledge & finally reflection in action. Hence, I will recommend all my juniors to opt for this subject in the coming years.

Anisha Haldar

PGP - 2013-14, IIMB

 

 

 

 

 

 

POPS was a course driven by intelligence, and while solving the problems encountered during the course made me appreciate the course, the failure to do so accentuated the feeling. I am sure the course was intended to develop and enhance the abilities of the students. Nonetheless, it also manages to trigger a deeper dive into what the course hails; for it showcases a huge area of knowledge and its application coupled with fun. It gives us a closer look to the its simplicity, and how it fails to attract us yet succeeds to serve us.

Binoy Subba

PGP - 2013-14, IIMB