IIM Indore Conducts Bharat KALP Leadership Programme, Bringing Together Senior Civil Servants to Strengthen Governance and Public Leadership

Reinforcing its commitment to nation-building through transformative management education and leadership development, the Indian Institute of Management Indore (IIM Indore) conducted the two-day Bharat KALP (Bharat Karmayogi Leadership Programme), an Executive Education Programme for the Capacity Building Commission (CBC), on November 2–3, 2026. The programme brought together senior civil servants from across the country, including Joint Secretaries, Directors, Deputy Secretaries and other senior government functionaries, to strengthen leadership competencies, enhance institutional effectiveness and develop a deeper understanding of ethical, evidence-based and citizen-centric governance. The programme was inaugurated by IIM Indore’s Director, Prof. Himanshu Rai. Ms. Radha Chauhan, IAS, Chairperson, Capacity Building Commission, and Prof. ManojMotiani, Associate Dean – Executive Education, were also present on this occasion.

Bharat KALP is an initiative designed by the Capacity Building Commission in partnership with the School of Ultimate Leadership (SOUL) and Karmayogi Bharat under Mission Karmayogi – the National Programme for Civil Services Capacity Building. Through this engagement, IIM Indore contributed its expertise in management education and executive learning to developing leadership capabilities within India’s public administration ecosystem.

In his address, Prof. Rai highlighted the philosophy of “साविद्यायाविमुक्तये”, emphasizing that true education is a journey towards liberation from inner conflicts, ignorance and limited understanding. He highlighted the importance of introspection, openness to learning and recognizing the wisdom and experiences that every individual brings. Drawing on the ideas of truth, self-awareness and spiritual understanding, he emphasized that meaningful leadership begins with understanding oneself. He encouraged participants to engage with the programme with an open heart and mind, learn from one another and explore the deeper purpose of leadership through self-discovery and personal transformation.

Ms. Radha Chauhan highlighted the vision behind the Karmayogi Leadership Programme, emphasizing the integration of Indic wisdom with leadership capacity building. She underscored the importance of developing cross-service leadership capabilities, strengthening core managerial skills and preparing officers for strategic decision-making. She encouraged participants to actively contribute to the programme’s evolution towards building effective, citizen-centric public leaders.
Prof. Motiani welcomed the participating officers and highlighted the importance of reflection and introspection at the midpoint of their learning journey. He emphasized the programme’s focus on negotiation, ethics, evidence-based policymaking, accountability and citizen-centric governance, encouraging participants to exchange perspectives and learn from one another.

The programme was attended by fourteen senior government functionaries, including Joint Secretaries, Directors, Deputy Secretaries, Deputy Directors, Joint Directors, and other senior representatives. The officers represented several key departments and institutions, including the Ministries of Coal, Food Processing Industries, Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Corporate Affairs, Home Affairs, Tourism, Housing and Urban Affairs, the Department of School Education and Literacy, and the Department of Labour. Representatives from Indian Railways, LBSNAA, RCVP Noronha Academy, Madhya Pradesh, the Regional Training Centre, Vadodara, and the Government of Chhattisgarh also participated.

The two-day programme featured sessions on Purpose-Driven Leadership, Ethical Statecraft and Institutional Integrity, Evidence-Based Policy Design and Deliberation, Governance Auditing and Accountability, Citizen-Centric and Dignified Service Delivery, and Negotiation.

Through Bharat KALP, IIM Indore reaffirmed its commitment to extending the reach of management education beyond the corporate sector and contributing to leadership development across government and public institutions. The programme reflected the Institute’s continued engagement with national capacity-building priorities and its commitment to developing leaders who can translate knowledge, integrity and strategic thinking into meaningful institutional and societal impact.