IIM Ahmedabad proposes new logo amid backlash from faculty, alumni

IIM Ahmedabad. (File photo)

The Indian Institute of Management (Ahmedabad) is revamping its website and has a new proposed logo that will come into effect in June this year.

The old logo of the premier institute was inspired by a stone-carved latticework of the 16th century Sidi Saiyyed mosque in Ahmedabad, landmark of the old city,

The original insignia had a Sanskrit shloka (Vidya Viniyogad Vikasa) which IIM-A said they will retain in a communication. The institute added that the font has been modernized and the colour improved in the new logo.

Old (L) vs New (R) IIM Ahmedabad logo. Old one is far better than the new one. pic.twitter.com/JwMBaeDn35

— Dax Patel (@thedaxpatel) April 4, 2022

“The Institute, in the process of revamping its website, found the need to refresh the logo. Evaluation, exploration, development of wordmark, development of brandmark were all kept in mind while coming up with the final design recommendations,” IIM-A said.

“The proposed logo continues the legacy of the original logo, retains the status line in Sanskrit (Vidya Viniyogad Vikasa) as in the original, the colour rendition has been improved, the fonts modernized, the 'jaali' inspired brand mark has been made more amenable to communication in digital media, and the brand name made more distinct. The proposed logo is to be released in June of this year after the annual vacation,” the statement read.

The change in logo sparked a controversy with 45 faculty members signing a letter to the top officials of the institute saying they were not consulted about the new design before it was approved. Over 1,000 IIM-A alumni have also started a petition to retain the 60-year-old logo that is inspired by the “Tree of Life”.

The new design, done by a creative agency, will be unveiled in June this year after the summer vacations. A photo of the logo shared on social media doesn’t have the Sanskrit shloka, prompting several people to point out that the verse has been removed. However, IIM-A said in statement that the sanksrit verse will be retained in the logo.