“Feed your focus, starve your distraction”, said Ashwini Vaishnaw, Minister for Railways, Information and Broadcasting at the SOUL Leadership Conclave organised by the School of Ultimate Leadership (SOUL) at Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan, New Delhi.
SOUL, an initiative envisioned by Prime Minister Modi and established in 2020, focuses on leadership development in three key spheres — politics, social service, and public policy. The first edition of the conclave brought together prominent figures, including DY Chandrachud, former Chief Justice of India, Shaktikanta Das, former RBI Governor, Gukesh Dommaraju, World Chess Champion and Sunil Bharti Mittal, Chairperson of Bharti Enterprises.
Addressing the audience, Ashwini Vaishnaw highlighted the importance of a focused mind while narrating a story from the life of Buddha. He recounted how Buddha advised a man who wanted to climb the mountain but was overwhelmed by its height to focus on the next step rather than focusing on the whole mountain. When asked about the essence of leadership, Vaishnaw answered that “a leader should always lead from the front so that he is visible.”
Sunil Bharti Mittal, added to the essence of leadership while drawing his inspiration from military strategy. “A general leads from the front occasionally goes behind to give the push, gets in the middle of the group to celebrate success and to understand their pain, and then goes forward again following a full circle.” He urged aspiring leaders and the young generation to approach each day with enthusiasm as it is their first day, surround themselves with visionaries and illuminators, and always share success with the team.
Journalist Rahul Kanwal focused on the importance of long-term vision, sharing an anecdote about Home Minister Amit Shah’s approach to elections. Recalling a conversation before the election about a region where the BJP was to lose, Kanwal asked Shah why he was wasting his time there. Shah responded, “I am doing it now because BJP will win the third election”. This story emphasises how a leader looks beyond immediate setbacks and works toward long-term goals.
On the theme of resilience and facing failure, Gukesh Dommaraju, the World Chess Champion, spoke about his journey and struggles before reaching the top. “I had a rough patch before becoming a World Chess Champion...failure has helped me become tougher and I have learned from it”, he added while sharing about his professional growth.
The conclave aims to train young aspiring leaders by bringing together speakers from different professions and of various ages creating a masterclass in leadership philosophy. The common thread binding the season was focus, vision, resilience, and leading by example — qualities for a successful leader.