Khanapara, Nov 14 : A professional development workshop at the University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) on Friday highlighted the importance of human values in shaping effective leadership, with speaker Sridhar Aranala emphasising that compassion remains central to a leader’s success.
Aranala, vice president (Sales and Distribution) of The Hindu Group, addressed faculty members, HODs and administrative staff during a session on “Leadership Styles for Team Success” organised by the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) at the Prof N K Chaudhury Auditorium.
Known for his calm and grounded leadership approach, Aranala shared experiences from his long association with The Hindu, a 147-year-old publication, drawing lessons on adaptability, discipline and humility.
The workshop remained interactive throughout, with participants engaging him on various leadership challenges.
“A good leader only needs to be a good human,” he said in one of his key remarks during the session. In another reflection that resonated with the audience, he stated, “If we learn to separate the ‘who’ from the ‘what,’ we solve most of life’s problems.”
He urged participants to view leadership as a practice rather than a title, adding, “A leader is born, not designated,” according to an official statement by the organisers.
In his closing remarks, Director (Operations & IQAC) Dr Debasish Saha thanked Aranala for sharing insights that, he said in an official note, reinforced USTM’s commitment to nurturing leadership excellence.
USTM, the first state private university dedicated to science and technology in the Northeast, received an A grade from NAAC in its first assessment cycle in 2021.
The university has been ranked in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) for four consecutive years, including 2025, and continues to be recognised as the best private university in the region.
