Abstract
Project and Program Managers constantly navigate complex trade-offs involving scope, cost, schedule, risk, stakeholders, and organizational priorities amid uncertainty and competing pressures. While established methodologies define ways of working, many project challenges ultimately depend on leadership judgment, ethical clarity, and decision-making under pressure.
This session introduces Dharma as contextual responsibility—reframing it as a practical leadership lens rather than a purely moral or philosophical construct. Drawing from Indian Knowledge Systems, including principles reflected in classical leadership thought such as Chanakya Neeti, participants will explore how clarity of role, intent, and accountability strengthens decision-making in complex environments.The session connects these insights to PMI’s core capabilities of Power Skills and Business Acumen by examining governance, escalation, stakeholder trust, risk conversations, and value realization.
About the speaker
Prof. Haripriya Rengarajan is a Bengaluru-based educationist, author, researcher, and leadership practitioner with over 27 years of experience across software, education, wellness, and governance. An M.S. in Software Engineering from BITS Pilani, she has led large-scale programs and PMO initiatives in global organizations before moving into academia, research, and thought leadership. She currently serves as the Karnataka State President, International Education Council, WICCI.
A specialist in leadership, governance, and decision-making in complex environments, she is a visiting faculty at premier universities and B-schools, bridging real-world project and program management with contemporary management practice. A TEDx speaker and contributor to global forums including the Agile India Conference, she speaks on leadership, transformation, and navigating complexity beyond tools and frameworks.
Drawing from her work as a certified yoga teacher and researcher in Indian Knowledge Systems, she integrates ancient wisdom with modern leadership and project challenges, with a strong focus on judgment, resilience, and ethical responsibility.