Lead with courage, Kiran Bedi tells pupils at Panjab University

Leadership is not about position, it is about responsibility, Kiran Bedi told students at Panjab University (PU) today, urging them to embrace discipline and ethics in their journey ahead. The former Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry and retired IPS officer, who was the first woman in India to join the service, returned to her alma mater as the chief guest at the university’s annual scholarship award function.

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Addressing the gathering at the Principal PL Anand Auditorium, Bedi recalled her formative years at the PU, crediting the institution and its teachers for shaping her journey. “Kismat wale ho, do you realise how fortunate you are to be a student of PU?,” she said, encouraging students to make the most of their time at the university. “Whatever I have achieved, it’s because of this university, its education and its teachers,” she said.

The event recognised 164 meritorious students from the 2020-21 batch, along with 19 students receiving stipends on a need-cum-merit basis. The scholarships, funded by the PU alumni, were awarded to students from university departments and affiliated colleges.

The event also saw the release of “Nidar Prashasan”, the Punjabi edition of Bedi’s book Fearless Governance. Translated by BBC journalist and PU alumnus Arvind Chhabra.