Beyond Brands and Selfies: Rethinking Leadership, Education, and Startup Success in India

Rethinking Leadership

In today’s India, thousands of startups launch with dreams of innovation and breakthrough. Yet, over 28,000 have failed since 2019—a sobering number that calls for a deeper reflection on the real drivers of sustainable success.

The True Roots: Education and Training

Every leader and entrepreneur begins their journey in classrooms and lecture halls. From school to university, and later through workplace training, foundational values and skills are shaped. But the reality is:

• Many institutions still emphasize rote learning and exam scores instead of creativity, critical thinking, and real problem-solving.

• HR and Learning & Development teams in organizations often deliver check-the-box training rather than true capability building.

International Schools: Global? Or Just for Show?

International schools in India promise world-class education through global curricula and diverse communities. But unless they genuinely nurture inquiry, adaptability, and problem-solving, the “international” tag risks becoming just a marketing tool—disconnected from local realities and student growth.

Leadership Certificates & Brand Obsession

Top leadership institutes attract students with promises of prestige and placements. Society gives enormous weight to these brands, often without question. But if graduates emerge with unrealistic mindsets or superficial skills, the responsibility lies not only with the graduates but with the institutions as well.

True leadership programs must deliver actionable tools for navigating ambiguity and ethical dilemmas—not just elite networking or nice certificates. Institutes and society must demand outcomes that reflect genuine competence and impact, not just logos and labels.

Startup Failures: It’s Not Just About Education

The wave of startup failures points to deeper flaws: poor product-market fit, underfunding, weak business models, operational challenges, and sometimes a lack of critical thinking or adaptability—areas that should be central in both academic and professional training. Real-world learning, exposure to market realities, and continuous skill development must replace outdated methods.

Let’s Get Real: Substance Over Symbolism

Taking selfies with the Prime Minister, hugging IAS or IPS officers, inviting film stars, or bringing in retired scientists to motivational events will not make you a better leader or entrepreneur.

Inviting officials who were complacent during service but now lecture on success, quoting religious scriptures for wisdom, is public spectacle—not practical value.

It’s time to move beyond photo opportunities and motivational speeches. If you want to drive genuine change, challenge these icons and ‘experts’ to develop an actual product and sell it in the market. Let them prove their practical skills in today’s world—not just share borrowed wisdom or rest on their reputation.

India needs doers—creators and problem-solvers committed to real learning, innovation, and delivery.

Let’s replace empty rituals with accountability and a relentless focus on creating value. The future depends on it.

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Share, discuss, and spread this message: We need substance, not just symbols, to shape leaders and businesses that last.