Mohali: CGC rolls out Kiran Bedi leadership learning programme

Unveiling the initiative, India’s first woman IPS officer Kiran Bedi said leadership must be shaped through discipline, integrity and real world engagement rather than classroom learning alone

CGC University’s two day literary festival Sahityam 2026 was anchored around the launch of the Kiran Bedi Leadership Learning Programme, a new collaboration on leadership training that will place students in internships with Navjyoti India Foundation and the India Vision Foundation to provide hands on exposure to public service and social impact work.

Kiran Bedi unveiling the initiative at CGC University in Mohali on Wednesday. (HT Photo)

The festival, themed around the vision of “Viksit Bharat”, was inaugurated by Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini.

Unveiling the initiative, India’s first woman IPS officer Kiran Bedi said leadership must be shaped through discipline, integrity and real world engagement rather than classroom learning alone. She noted that the internship driven model would help students understand governance, community work and ethical decision making from the ground up.

Beyond policy discussions, Sahityam 2026 showcased literature, culture and entrepreneurship. A startup funding segment saw grants awarded to emerging ventures by IIT Madras and Startup Punjab. Panels on Punjabi literature and music featured artists such as Jasbir Jassi and Bunty Bains, while performances by Afsana Khan and Aadi closed the event. CGC chancellor Raspal Singh Dhaliwal said the festival sought to nurture critical thinkers capable of leading India with purpose and social responsibility.