DO YOU KNOW INDIA HAS A SCHOOL OF GOVERNMENT?

Very few people in India and elsewhere are aware of the existence of a school of government, Maharashtra Institute of Technology School of Government-MITSOG-, in Pune, established in 2005 with the initiative of Cardiff University and Harvard School of Business alumnus Rahul Karad. He is the Founder and Executive Dean of the school with T.N. Sheshan, the firebrand reformer of the Indian electoral process, as its first Chairman. Located in a sprawling campus of the MIT, the school, only of its kind in Asia, is modeled on the Kennedy School of Government in the US where political leaders of all hues, top bureaucrats, and business and community leaders are among visiting faculty. It is another unique initiative after the World Peace Centre, which is located in the same complex, was established by the founder patriarch of the MIT Professor (Dr) Vishvanath D, Karad with vision to promote democratic values, peace, communal harmony and human rights. The World Peace Centre is UNESCO-supported initiative which has been awarded a Peace Chair by the UNESCO, the only in the region.

At a time when we lament about the rot in the system but do little to try changing the system, Rahul Karad devoted his energies to establish a formal government school to create dynamic leaders, empowering them with the knowledge and expertise for managing politics, and economic and social scenarios through a comprehensive training and practical approach to governance. It offers a one-year "Master Program in Government (MPG)". MPG is a leadership program for a career in Politics & Government. MIT-SOG was established under the World Peace Centre as a part of UNESCO Chair under the chairmanship of the Founder patriarch Professor Dr. Vishvanath Karad. The objective of the institution is to promote democratic values and human rights education, social and ethical values and culture of peace and tolerance in society. Many students of the school have gone on to work with leading politicians, social leaders, political parties, media and co-operatives as consultants, advisors, strategists and political commentators and analysts. MIT-SOG is part of Maharashtra Academy of Engineering & Educational Research (MAEER), Pune, a well-known educational trust with 68 Institutions delivering KG to PG education. MAEER is truly multi-campus and multi-disciplinary organization conducting university approved academic programs in Engineering, Management, Pharmacy, Medicine and Polytechnic. Approximately 55,000 students study in various institutions of MAEER. The student community represents entire cross-section of the country.

To know more about the School of Government, log on to their website www.mitsog.com