With an aim to equip IIT and engineering aspirant students from humble backgrounds with essential skills of communication, leadership, and critical thinking, the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) kick-started the second edition of the “IITGN-Dakshana Leadership Programme” today for about 70 students from the Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas and other government schools from 16 Indian states.

These have been selected from the Pune, Bundi, Kottayam, and Lucknow centres of the Dakshana Foundation based on their exceptional performance in IIT-JEE preparation at Dakshana. The annual income of these students’ parents/guardians is generally less than Rs 2 lakh. This year’s cohort also includes ten students who are already studying at various institutes of national importance with the Foundation for Excellence (FFE)’s scholarships.

Over the next one month, these students from across India, who have showcased outstanding academic abilities despite the weak financial condition of their families, will be provided with the best training and knowledge in an IIT environment to help them reach their full potential.

The communication skills module will hone their English language and communication skills to build their confidence while speaking. The Leadership module, integrated with a uniquely designed “Finding a Leader in You” (FLY) programme, aims to make students aware of their strengths and work on their weaknesses to become confident leaders. The course will introduce students to concepts of ethics, perseverance, teamwork, and time management. The critical thinking module will encourage students to ask critical questions about existing theories, principles, and possibilities and engage with thought experiments. All these sessions will be conducted by some of the best mentors from the Competitive Mindset Institute (CMI) and IIT Gandhinagar.

Apart from the core modules, the month-long residential programme will also immerse students in various extracurricular activities like arts, dance, sports, swimming, yoga, learning Science and Mathematics concepts through DIY toys with the Centre for Creative Learning at IITGN, and visit to the Sabarmati Ashram.

Speaking virtually from the USA during the inaugural session of the programme, Mr Ruyintan Mehta, a philanthropist and serial entrepreneur from the USA, who has extended his generous support to the programme along with the Maker Bhavan Foundation, said, “This programme is very near and dear to me, and I am excited to connect with all the exceptional organisations working towards supporting and skilling the bright youth of our country. I have witnessed the progress of Dakshana students over the last few years. Through the IITGN-Dakshana Leadership Programme, we want to expose students to the unique capabilities in them and hone their soft skills to build confidence through active learning. The methodology of teaching, the learning environment, and the facilities at IITGN are exceptional among all IITs. I am sure you will benefit a lot from this programme.”

Prof Jaison A Manjaly, Jasubhai Memorial Chair Professor and Head of Humanities and Social Sciences at IITGN, who is also leading this programme, said, “We offer the students an exposure to communication, leadership and critical thinking skills. We believe that these skills would have a significant impact in their academic experience and would give a sense of autonomy and independence.”

Mr Mohnish Pabrai, Founder, Dakshana, and Ms Sudha Kidao, Chair, Foundation for Excellence, also encouraged students to make the most of the programme at IITGN.

Sneha Rani, a student from Chandigarh, affiliated with Dakshana centre in Pune, said, “I want to be a Data Scientist in future. Through this programme, I want to overcome my fear of public speaking and prepare myself for the future by improving my soft skills.”

Hailing from Jharkhand and affiliated with Dakshana centre in Bundi, Someshwar Singh shared his expectation from the programme and said, “I am really excited to come to an IIT for the first time. I am looking forward to developing my leadership and communication skills here.”

About Dakshana and IITGN-Dakshana Leadership Programme:

Dakshana, a not-for-profit organisation, presently helps bright and economically disadvantaged students, predominantly from rural India, to prepare for IIT and medical entrance exams through intensive coaching for 1-2 years. However, there was also a need to build their soft skills, such as leadership, critical thinking, and communication, to add more value to their talent.

To fill this gap, IITGN joined hands with Dakshana and Mr Ruyintan Mehta, a serial entrepreneur and philanthropist, to start a month-long “IITGN-Dakshana Leadership Programme” last year to train academically outstanding but economically underprivileged students. The IITGN-Dakshana Leadership Programme aims to equip students with these skills and knowledge in an IIT environment to help them reach their full potential.