Anagha Puranik

Ordinary people, EXTRAORDINARY lives! I had never thought interviews could be done with such ease. I connected with him on LinkedIn, met him once in his office after 2 decades and the interview happened. It was such joy to interview the Director of JP; at the helm of affairs for 3 decades and counting. I had sent him a list of 30 q.s and he found them good & thought provoking. We were apprehensive about covering a range of topics in a span of one hour; when the actual interview happened though he spoke with such openness, candour and no holds barred sharing and answered all my questions with such elan, I was left intrigued, inspired and utterly grateful for the experience. We spoke about consultative leadership, 3 levels of creativity, leadership development amongst the youth, taking JPP’s work far and wide, coaching/mentoring, recognition of JPP’s ideology of education way back when it had just begun. I love the way it is called, JPP - A new experiment in education; channelising the profits from its various entities towards social causes and manifolding its imprints throughout India in times to come. The ideology is rock solid even after all these decades on Dr. Appa Pendse’s teachings. The young boy in his 20’s whom Dr. Pendse nominated for the role of a director just 2 days before his demise; Dr. Girish Bapat has splendidly carried the baton forward learning on the job and on the roles he was nominated for; 5 yrs. as a principal in his 20’s and becoming the Director at the young age of 30. He’s always been known for his moustache, his magnetic personality, his aura; commanding respect mixed with a little fear. The more than an hour interview has many golden nuggets sprinkled with exemplary leadership. There are leaders in every field. Somehow we always focus more on corporate leadership perhaps because it churns profits. We need to Pause and Applause..them! #leadershipfirst #leadershipinaction #giftededucation P.S: Knowing Globant in India is doing CSR project for 3 years with JP was a cherry on the cake

Ordinary People Extraordinary Lives!! ‘The Interview’ that almost happened…didn’t happen & then finally happened!! They are a ‘Power Couple’! He is a COEP engineer, MTech & PHD in Physics from IIT-Mumbai who let go of lucrative offers to go abroad & work, only to choose working relentlessly for nation building. She comes from a totally different background and a humble journey, who later did a PHD in Critical Thinking, yet together they are an excellent example of complimenting each other and leading the Competitive Examination Centre (CEC) at JP Group for more than 2 decades. They have exhibited Thought leadership, Action-oriented leadership, Distributed leadership & passion, commitment, purpose in all their pursuits which have resulted in a good amount of traction and success in all their endeavors. He is a matter of fact person who doesn’t like visibility and prefers to work in the background while she is friendly & expressive. His interests lie in Cosmos, Objectivism, Futurology while she enjoys Theatre, Dance & the Arts. They may seem different like chalk and cheese yet are bound by mutual trust and mutual respect all the time. Meet Dr. Vivek Kulkarni & Dr. Savita Kulkarni with whom time just flew by in the 1.5 hrs interview. They have worked and led in diverse areas from futurology, competitive examination centre curriculum & process building to mentoring and forming active and well meaning network groups that actually deliver and contribute in different ways. They come from a Physics & Chemistry background yet have learned and excelled in Humanities side of things & areas like Critical Thinking, Networking, Mentoring, Value Education for passing IAS, IFS, IPS, IRS officers who are doing some real good work at the grassroots level. At a time when everyone is harping about the importance of networking skills they have built a successful network of 1000+ IAS, IPS, IFS and other Civil services officers and are proactively in touch with them. A network where a just joined officer can contact a 20 year senior for help, mentoring, guidance, best practices sharing et. al with comfort and ease. The top 5 five takeaways from the interaction for me were 1) Passion & Purpose along with relentless work yields noteworthy results even in complex work environments & areas. 2) Affiliation motivation can do wonders, sometimes more than power & achievement. 3) Successful network building is an uphill task and requires patience, effort, dedication and a vision. 4) Leaders needn’t always be in the limelight, there are many who work in the background, are a powerhouse, just choose not to come to the fore. 5) Critical Thinking, Emotional skills, Compassion, Open mindedness, Inclusivity are important attributes to learn and have for a leader as well as for the youth today. Stay tuned for the gems of knowledge and practical takeaways from these 2 powerhouse leaders! #leadership #success #networking #education #power #interview

20 Years Apart. One Evening to Bridge It All. Saturday evening, April 12th became more than just a date, it became a celebration of belonging. Two batches, one bond, & over two decades later, alumni reunited with their beloved teachers in a gathering that was as heartfelt as it was historic. The girls barely recognised the boys 😁 i) Over 20 teachers from those 6 golden school years turned up; rekindling old ties with each other & their students ii) Globally, friends & teachers from across continents logged in to be a part of the moment. iii) Warm tea to warmer stories, candid intros to unforgettable memories; everything flowed with such ease & joy, it felt like we’d never left. Manasi & I spoke on behalf of girls, reminiscing about shared memories. It was ironic yet lovely, one of the quietest girls in the batch spoke on behalf of the class 😊 Sagar represented the boys, Shraddha kept the flow natural, Swanand stole the show with his honest, hilarious take on his career journey & how proudly he drops the ‘Jnana Prabodhini’ tag that instantly earns him respect & ‘intelligent’ title. There were laughs, tributes, shared nostalgia, & moments of deep gratitude for the institution that shaped us. And just when you thought it couldn't get better, the dosa counter & kulfi took centre stage over informal chats & serving the teachers. Across time zones & life paths, we found our way back to where it all began. We left with full hearts, big smiles, a quiet promise to stay connected to each other, & to the school that gave us roots. In a gathering rich with meaning, we received not just memories, but life lessons; powerful thoughts to carry into the next phase of our journey. Here's a humble attempt to share some insights with our extended JPP family, across time zones & generations. As and when one enters the final innings of life; those precious 20-25 odd years ahead, it’s time to reflect, realign, & rediscover purpose. The message was clear; build something that goes beyond your circle of comfort; your home, school, college, or workplace. Find your niche to create ripples. Like the IIT graduate who, in his 50s, pivoted from fintech to rural education; building an app that now transforms 1000's of young lives. Our alma mater is not just a school. It’s a living, breathing force; impacting areas as diverse as psychology, women’s empowerment, rural development, & leadership. The call? Be a part of something bigger. Give back. Whether through social entrepreneurship, mentoring, or community projects, lead from where you can. And finally, a simple but profound question; Are you leading in some way? By  i) Being an expert   ii) An inspirer, motivator   iii) Organiser, at workplace or community programs   iv) Being a role model the young look up to   v) Being a pioneer, that nudges others to think differently, do something new Because it's not just about having titles, leading a company or a political party. It is leading yourself!