Where Education Meets Impact: A Journey of Leadership, Social Responsibility, and Purpose
Some of the most impactful leaders are not always the ones standing on stage. Often, they are the ones quietly ensuring that everything works.
At the beginning of my SP Jain Global journey, as a student from Nepal pursuing the GCGM (Graduate Certificate of Global Management), I was excited about what I would learn over the next four months and how it would shape my professional mindset.
What I did not anticipate was how deeply this journey would challenge my understanding of leadership, particularly the idea that impact does not always require recognition.
Stepping into Leadership: Sustainability Committee
Serving as the Sustainability Committee leader, I planned, coordinated, and executed multiple initiatives while maintaining clear communication across teams. Alongside my committee members—Hrishikesh Kasar, Dishank Somani, and Palak Saraogi—I worked to ensure that ideas were translated into structured, actionable outcomes that reflected both sustainability goals and meaningful learning.
Leadership, in practice, meant building clarity and trust. Balancing these responsibilities alongside full-day academic commitments strengthened my ability to manage people, processes, and time, while showing me how education builds real-world leadership capabilities and a sense of social responsibility.
GreenSpark 2025: Turning Sustainability Challenges into Scalable Solutions
One of the most defining initiatives of my journey was GreenSpark 2025, organised under the Sustainability Committee at SP Jain Global. The program encouraged students to identify real-world sustainability challenges and propose scalable, business-oriented solutions through curated video submissions, transforming classroom learning into actionable impact.
The initiative saw strong participation, with innovative ideas that reinforced my belief that sustainability is not just a responsibility, but a catalyst for innovation and long-term value creation. As a committee leader, I was actively involved in planning, delegating responsibilities, coordinating teams, and ensuring the event remained focused and effective.
I also served as the Emcee, managing audience engagement, speaker introductions, and transitions. Balancing on-stage responsibilities with behind-the-scenes coordination strengthened my leadership, adaptability, and communication skills, while highlighting the importance of clarity and confidence in representing sustainability-driven initiatives.
The highlight of GreenSpark took place on 19th December, when industry experts from diverse sectors came together to evaluate submissions and share invaluable insights. We were honoured to host an esteemed panel comprising:
• Mr Rajiv Sharma, Director & Group Head, Emeritus
• Mr Santosh Shidhaye, Head – ESG, Ecofy
• Dr Aniruddha Agnihotri, Head – Environment, Health & Safety, Tata Consultancy Services
• Ms Neha Bhagtani, Deputy Vice President, Tata Capital
• Mr Prabodha Acharya, Chief Sustainability Officer, JSW
Their perspectives reinforced the importance of integrating sustainability into strategic and financial decision-making, showing how education can shape responsible future leaders.
NM Joshi Workshop: Leadership Behind the Scenes
Another impactful experience was the NM Joshi workshop, where sessions were conducted for participant groups of Class 8, 9, and 10 students. The workshops focused on essential life skills such as financial literacy, self-leadership (body, mind, and soul), and verbal and non-verbal communication—areas that reflect the true purpose of education: empowering young minds.
These topics are critical at a young age, as they build confidence, self-awareness, communication skills, and financial responsibility—foundations for inclusive growth and lifelong learning. Early exposure empowers students to make informed decisions and develop a resilient, balanced mindset.
As the committee leader, I oversaw on-the-ground coordination across multiple classrooms, supported volunteers, managed logistics, and ensured a smooth execution. During planning, time management was a key challenge, which I addressed by setting clear deadlines, delegating effectively, and maintaining regular follow-ups.
A memorable moment was when a Class 9 student, Neha, told me she wanted to be like me. I wasn’t on stage—I was coordinating behind the scenes. Her words reinforced a powerful lesson: leadership doesn’t need to be visible to be impactful, and education inspires even through quiet example.
Reflections on Leadership and Growth
Experiencing both visible leadership at GreenSpark and behind-the-scenes responsibility at the NM Joshi workshop reshaped my understanding of leadership. I learned that leadership is not defined by recognition, but by accountability, consistency, and the ability to ensure success—values that lie at the heart of meaningful education.
One uncomfortable yet valuable realisation was the challenge of balancing leadership responsibilities with my own academic learning. Navigating this taught me discipline, prioritisation, and resilience.
Beyond flagship initiatives, activities such as the donation drive reinforced my belief in purposeful leadership. They highlighted that sustainability extends beyond environmental action—it is about creating long-term social impact, equity, and opportunity through small, consistent efforts.
Guidance and Support
I would like to express my sincere gratitude to Dr Firdaus Khan and Dr Nada Sayarh for their constant guidance and supervision throughout the committee’s work. I am also thankful to Archana Yadav Subedi for her encouragement and continued support, which contributed significantly to the smooth functioning of our initiatives.
About the author
Sriju Singh is currently pursuing my postgraduate studies in Finance at SP Jain Global (October 2025 cohort). She is driven by independence, continuous growth, and a commitment to creating meaningful impact through education that empowers individuals and communities.
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