The word 'Symbiosis' is a biological term to describe a mutually beneficial co-existence of two living organisms. To those who know Symbiosis, and its founder Dr Shantaram Balwant Mujumdar, it is not surprising that he chose this word. Dr Mujumdar was a professor of botany in the well known Fergusson College in Pune, in 1971, when an extraordinary incidence inspired him to start an International Cultural and Educational Centre. He named it Symbiosis. It was to be a home away from home for the international students who came to study in India. Symbiosis is a unique space where foreign students can exist in harmony with Indian students.

You can read more of this fascinating story in Dr Mujumdar's own words in his book 'Symbiosis - Biography of an Idea' (Macmillan India Ltd).

Dr Mujumdar's dream of realising the ancient Indian philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam - the world is one family - is a thriving reality today. Students from more than 60 countries from all over the world, and every State and Union Territory in India, havecometo Symbiosis. The Symbiosis family has grown to 37 institutions, several of which are acknowledged to be among the finest in the country. It has about 45,000 students on its 18 campuses in 7 cities, and more than 1,40,000 enrolled in distance-learning courses, studying more than 120 courses in diverse fields such as Management of Business, Finance, Human Resource, International Trade, Information Technology, Mass Communication, Law, Arts and Commerce.

Symbiosis Institutes such as SIBM, SIIB, SIMS, SCMHRD, SITM, SSLC and SIMC together attract over 350 of India's top companies for campus recruitments. All Symbiosis Institutes achieve 100% placements every year.
In 2002, the Government of India conferred on Symbiosis the status of “deemed to be University”. In 2006, the University Grants Commission renamed the university as Symbiosis International University.
Symbiosis Vishwabhavan