Lucknow: The three-day International Roundtable Conference “ED Leadership-2026”, organized under the aegis of the Global Education and Training Institute, was inaugurated with great grandeur this morning at the CMS Kanpur Road Auditorium. In his video message to more than 2,000 educators participating in the conference from Egypt, Nepal, Japan, and various states of India,
Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister of India, stated that education must be purposeful, transformative, and holistic.““He said that India’s National Education Policy aims to develop active and enthusiastic learners who can take the country to greater heights of success and play a vital role in making India a global powerhouse in the years ahead. Shri Rajnath Singh emphasized that education is not confined merely to books and examinations; it also encompasses collaboration, communication, critical thinking, and creativity. These are realities that can be implemented in schools of every size and type. He expressed his best wishes for the success of the conference and for the promotion of literacy across all corners of the world.
The conference commenced with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp. Addressing the gathering, the Chief Guest, eminent educationist Ms. Manjit Batra, remarked that education becomes complete only when it harmoniously integrates knowledge, wisdom, effective expression, and a spiritual outlook. It may be noted that ED Leadership-2026, based on the theme “Growing the Inner Life in the Age of AI,” is being held from 18 to 20 June at the CMS Kanpur Road Auditorium. More than 2,000 educators, principals, and teachers from different countries are participating in this international forum, engaging in thoughtful deliberations and discussions aimed at giving new dimensions to educational practices.
Welcoming educators from India and abroad, Dr. Sunita Gandhi, Convener of ED Leadership-2026, said that the learning process should be enjoyable, dynamic, and open to new ideas. She emphasized the need to prepare the younger generation as global citizens and make them aware of the contemporary needs of society. It is with this objective that the ALfA Pedagogy has been developed, which has proven effective in numerous schools from the pre-primary to the senior level.
During the morning session of the first day, the first panel discussion was held on the topic “What Is Education Really For?” The discussion was moderated by Abha Anant, Principal of CMS Kanpur Road Campus. Panelists Sushma Rajkumar, Savita Makhija, Rita Acharya, Hany Wadie Ghobrial Mina, and Suman Singh shared their valuable insights. Another panel discussion on “Breaking the Mold: Bold Experiments That Worked” featured Saba Hussain, Reema Sethi, Shivani Singh, Dr. J. S. Paranjyothi, Bipandeep Kaur, and Pankaj Sharma as panelists. The session was moderated by Nisha Pandey, Senior Principal of CMS Rajajipuram Campus.
In addition, the evening session featured the Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan National Award Ceremony. The series of meaningful discussions and deliberations among educationists from India and abroad will continue on 19 and 20 June as part of this international conference
