School of Ultimate Leadership (SOUL) to come up on 22-acre campus on Gift City Road

Gandhinagar: Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel today laid the foundation stone for the state-of-the-art SOUL (School of Ultimate Leadership) campus in the state capital, Gandhinagar. The SOUL campus is set to be built on a 22-acre area near Gujarat Biotechnology University on Gift City Road in Gandhinagar at an estimated cost of Rs. 150 crore within the next two years.

In an official press release, the state government said, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called upon 1 lakh youth with no political background to join politics. In this context, SOUL, an institution established to train aspiring youth who wish to enter politics, aims to empower them to address systemic governance challenges in India. It is dedicated to leadership development in three key areas: political, social, and public policy.”

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will formally launch SOUL in New Delhi on February 21. In its initial phase, SOUL will offer tailored programs for public service professionals.

Upon completion of SOUL’s Gandhinagar campus in March 2027, formal programs will commence, including medium-term courses of 1 to 3 months and long-term courses of 9 to 12 months. Until then, short-term programs lasting one week and seminars will be organized.

SOUL will provide a suitable platform for leadership training to candidates and youth who aim to contribute to the public sector, health, education, rural development, and sanitation, with opportunities for the development of capable leadership that prioritizes the interests of the people.

For this purpose, individuals with a strong commitment to public service will be selected for admission to SOUL on the basis of merit through a letter of intent and a panel interview. Experts from various fields, including industry, government, and global leadership, will serve as faculty at SOUL.

Additionally, a token fee will be charged to young candidates to ensure their commitment to the program. The training will be free of cost for elected representatives and public service officials.

SOUL is an independent, non-partisan organization established by a group of eminent individuals from the private sector. It has no affiliation with any government agency or university. Non-degree programs focusing on leadership development and value addition will be offered at SOUL.

It is important to mention that, so far, SOUL has successfully organized various pre-launch programs. These include a two-day leadership workshop in collaboration with the Ministry of Education to facilitate the effective implementation of the NEP, as well as a one-day brainstorming session for the staff of the Chief Minister’s Office.

Furthermore, a workshop was organized to provide a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the state budget to all elected MLAs. DeshGujarat