Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], February 14: Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel performed the Bhoomi Poojan for the state-of-the-art campus of SOUL (School of Leadership) in Gandhinagar. The ceremony was attended by Sudhir Mehta, Chairman of SOUL’s Board of Directors, Dr. Hasmukh Adhia, Former Finance Secretary to the Government of India and Chairman of SOUL’s Executive Committee, alongside other distinguished invitees and senior officials.
The SOUL campus, which is set to be developed over the next two years at an estimated cost of Rs 150 crore, will span 22 acres near the Gujarat Biotechnology University on GIFT City Road in Gandhinagar.
SOUL, established in response to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s call for 1 lakh youth without political backgrounds to enter politics, aims to train and empower aspiring leaders. The institution is designed to provide knowledge and skills to address systemic governance challenges and create new opportunities in public service. It will focus on leadership development in three key areas: political, social, and public policy.
The institution will be formally launched by Prime Minister Modi on February 21 in New Delhi. In its initial phase, SOUL will offer specialized programs for public service professionals. After the completion of its Gandhinagar campus, formal programs will commence in March 2027, including medium-term courses of 1 to 3 months and long-term programs of 9 to 12 months. Until the campus is fully operational, short-term programs and specialized seminars will be conducted.
SOUL will serve as a premier institution for leadership training, empowering aspiring candidates and youth to effectively contribute to sectors like health, education, rural development, and sanitation. The institution is dedicated to cultivating visionary leadership for advancing public welfare.
Admissions to SOUL will be merit-based, with candidates selected through a letter of intent and a panel interview. The institution will offer programs led by experts from diverse fields, ensuring world-class learning. A nominal fee will be charged to young candidates, while elected representatives and public service officials will receive training free of cost.
SOUL, founded by a distinguished group of private sector professionals, is an independent, non-partisan institution, unaffiliated with any government agencies or universities. It will focus on non-degree, specialized programs aimed at developing transformative leadership and promoting value-driven governance.
In addition to training, SOUL will serve as a hub for research and expert guidance, providing policymakers and public leaders with insights that can enhance governance and social service leadership. Notably, SOUL has already conducted impactful pre-launch programs, including a leadership workshop with the Ministry of Education to support the implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP), and a workshop for elected MLAs on understanding the state budget.