Leadership Under Pressure: Dr. Rajeshwar Singh’s Governance Insights Captivate IIM Lucknow’s Manfest–Varchasva
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Sampadak Praveen Saini
Character Decides How Far You Go”: Dr. Rajeshwar Singh’s Powerful Message to IIM Lucknow’s MBA Cohort
Lucknow | At the prestigious Leaders’ Express session organised under Manfest–Varchasva, the annual flagship festival of the Indian Institute of Management Lucknow, Sarojini Nagar MLA Dr. Rajeshwar Singh addressed an august gathering of MBA students, research scholars, faculty members, and outreach educators. The interaction emerged as a deeply engaging and intellectually enriching dialogue on the interlinkages between management, leadership, public policy, and nation-building.
Addressing the audience, Dr. Rajeshwar Singh highlighted the global standing and academic excellence of IIM Lucknow, describing it not merely as an institution that imparts degrees, but as one that instils responsibility, discipline, and leadership values. He referenced the institute’s consistent performance in national and international rankings—being ranked 5th in NIRF 2025, 4th among all IIMs, 57th globally in the Financial Times Masters in Management, and its AACSB, AMBA, and EQUIS accreditations—as evidence of excellence at every level. He remarked that IIM Lucknow is a forge of ideas and global leadership, shaping minds that are India’s pride and the world’s respect.
The session went far beyond theory, as Dr. Singh shared his own life journey—from engineering to policing, from the Enforcement Directorate to public life—emphasising how uncertainty, pressure, and responsibility became his greatest teachers. Reflecting on his professional evolution, he noted that life does not follow fixed plans, but rewards adaptability, integrity, and continuous learning.
Responding to a question comparing corporate leadership and public leadership, Dr. Singh described politics as the most challenging form of management. He explained that an MLA simultaneously performs multiple roles—visionary leadership, execution oversight, crisis management, stakeholder engagement, and grievance redressal—often on a 24×7 basis. He referred to the management of development works across 42 government departments, monitoring over 100 central and state schemes, and personally overseeing thousands of public grievances, letters, calls, and messages.
On grievance redressal, Dr. Singh underlined that public leadership demands constant engagement with the ground reality. He spoke about systematic follow-ups, continuous coordination with departments, and the importance of sensitivity in governance. Sharing anecdotes from daily public life, he illustrated how leadership extends from large infrastructure projects to resolving everyday civic issues faced by citizens.
Discussing social impact, Dr. Singh emphasised the need for inclusive and equitable development. He pointed out the stark inequalities in wealth distribution and stressed that growth must uplift the lowest strata of society. Addressing management students directly, he urged them to ensure that future economic growth carries every section of society forward, reinforcing that privilege comes with responsibility.
On the future of the state and the nation, Dr. Singh highlighted digital education, youth empowerment, and technological readiness as key priorities. He spoke about rapid technological change, the impact of artificial intelligence on future jobs, and the need to skill youth accordingly. Referring to initiatives in Uttar Pradesh, he mentioned large-scale implementation of smart classrooms, ICT labs, and the distribution of laptops and tablets to millions of students to prepare them for the digital economy.
Drawing parallels between governance and management disciplines such as operations and strategy, Dr. Singh shared examples of grassroots initiatives in Sarojini Nagar, including large-scale community kitchens, women-led self-help groups, tailoring centres, and digital empowerment centres providing free technical education. He described these initiatives as real-world applications of operational excellence, stakeholder management, and sustainable social impact.
In response to student questions on personal growth, Dr. Singh advised young professionals to cultivate patience, strong grounding, legal awareness, and ethical discipline. He underscored the importance of understanding laws such as the Anti-Money Laundering Act, particularly for future corporate leaders handling complex financial and cross-border transactions. He concluded by emphasising faith, perseverance, and integrity as lifelong anchors of success.
The session concluded with a message encouraging accomplished professionals from all fields to eventually enter public life, stating that governance and policy-making benefit immensely from diverse real-world experience.
The event was graced by the esteemed presence of Director Prof. M. P. Gupta, PGP Chair Prof. Alok Dixit, Dean–Programmes Prof. Sanjay Kumar Singh, and Student Affairs Chair Prof. Debashis Das Gupta, along with Young Leaders’ Program Coordinators Snehajit Dey and Gunjan Verma. The discussion was thoughtfully moderated by Rishikesh Mukhedkar, with seamless facilitation by Nisarg Dalal and Rudra Ruparelia.
The Leaders’ Express session stood out as a meaningful exchange that offered students a rare, real-world perspective on leadership, governance, and values-driven management—reinforcing IIM Lucknow’s commitment to shaping socially conscious and future-ready leaders.