India, 23rd August, 2024: In a first, the Indian Army has teamed up with the Management Development Institute (MDI) Guragon for a leadership programme designed for junior officers. The first batch of Junior Commissioned Officers (JCOs) began their 2-week training programme on “Leadership and General Management” at MDI Gurgaon on Monday, August 19.
“It’s a milestone moment (for us). We are sending JCOs and NCOs for leadership training,” said Lt Gen D S Kushwah, Chief of Staff, HQ ARTRAC, at the inaugural of the programme, adding that so far only officers were normally sent to such training. “This leadership training programme is a historic occasion,” he added.
The inaugural event was attended by the participating Army officers, Director of MDI, Prof Arvind Sahay, and senior faculty members.
“We are leaders. At times, we are managers, too. Managers are those who help us find the right path to the destination, identified by the leader,” said Gen Kushwah, addressing the event, virtually, while also explaining how “theories in leadership and management had first emerged from the Armed forces and later a lot of research on this was done in the corporate world.”
“You should get all your doubts cleared (in the classroom). Learning, after all, is a two-way exchange process,” said Gen Kushwah. Technology has a key role in modern-day warfare, said Gen Kushwah, adding that cyber training was part of the training capsule for the officers.
Maj Gen M K Mathur, in his remarks, said: “You all (the officers) should contribute whole-heartedly towards the success of the programme. It is hoped that you would be able to put into practice what you learn here, and usher positive change in your respective units”.
Welcoming the officers, the MDI Director, Prof Arvind Sahay, said: “This is the first of its kind initiative of the Indian Army to provide management education to JCOs and NCOs which will enable contemporary management education and exposure. These are the soldiers of the Army who tend to be at the frontline in the face of security incidents. It is a privilege for MDI to be a pioneer in this area and to be able to contribute to the increase in the management capabilities of this group that allows them to be even more effective soldiers. JCOs are the backbone of our Indian Army and MDI is the first institute in India which is associated with this programme. Our Armed Forces have our highest respect, and this programme is a service to the nation that also allows MDI to generate significant revenues and MDP is proud to be contributing in a small way to making our armed forces more effective.”
Some of the themes / subjects that the participants would be taught as part of the “Leadership and General Management” programme include “Role, Responsibilities and Challenges of a Leader and Emotional Intelligence,” “Decision Making and Problem Solving,” “Transactional Analysis and Team Work and Team Building,” “Forecasting and demand Planning,” “Inventory Management,” and “Bid Evaluation, Benchmarking and Negotiations”.
In her remarks, Dean, Industry Connect, Prof Sumita Rai, said: “We hope that the officers spend a memorable 15 days at MDI. MDI Gurgaon has been historically associated with the Forces, and it has been conducting programmes for Paramilitary Forces.”
Programme Directors Prof Ashok Panjwani, Prof Ritu Srivastava, Prof Sunil Ashra and Prof Vidhu Gaur were also present on the occasion.
 Guragon for a leadership programme designed for junior officers){kind=link}