GIIS students had an impromptu session with Indian politician Jyotiraditya Scindia on the sidelines of the Hindustan Times Leadership series in April, during which he shared his views on education for the future, and the importance of holistic education for the development of a student.

The suave and sophisticated Mr Scindia, who heads a public school in his hometown Gwalior, advised students that grades are important but what is more important is how “your education institute impacted you in your foremost years.”

“Schools also have to look at not only holistic development, but also pedagogy and teaching methods,” said Mr Scindia adding that grades are crucial when it comes to pursuing higher education, but it is important to maintain a balance between having good marks and having the right skills.

Students who met with Mr Scindia, who belongs to the royal family of the erstwhile princely state of Gwalior, were floored by his humility . His friendly attitude and warm interaction inspired them to embrace these qualities themselves. They asked him about his definition of success, to which he replied that the being a good human being is the foundation for his rise in life.

“My calling in life is not politics. My calling in life is public service”, he remarked, advising students to recognize the value of public service and helping out one another. When asked about the influence of his late father Madhavrao Scindia on his life, the junior Mr Scindia said his father was his role model.  “One calling that I learned from him is - be a good human being and try and find a place in people’s heart”.

He went on to advise students that nothing is more meaningful than earning the love of people, and concluded the interactive session by saying, “have the ability to touch the lives of the people around you”.

Mr Scindia’s tete-e-tete on the sidelines of the HT Leadership series was part of GIIS’s own Leadership Lecture series which invites world leaders and experts from all fields to interact with students. The aim is to impart confidence and critical thinking skills in students to inspire them to be well rounded achievers in the future.

So far, the LLS has been attended by renowned leaders including former president APJ Abdul Kalam, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Bollywood star Aamir Khan, Cricket star Virender Sehwag and others.