Shaping Futures in Social Development
Gandhi Fellowship alumni engage Sociology students at Panjab University, sharing insights on careers in social development, education reform, and leadership.
The Department of Sociology at Panjab University, Chandigarh,
hosted an engaging session on “Careers and Opportunities in the Social Development Sector & the Gandhi Fellowship.” The session featured Gandhi Fellowship alumni Brajesh (Batch 4) and Akash Mukherjee (Batch 7), who shared insights from over a decade of work in education, community development, and public systems reform.
Insights from Gandhi Fellowship Alumni
Brajesh, a development sector leader with 14+ years of experience, reflected on his journey that began with the Gandhi Fellowship in 2011. He spoke about leading multi-state education and governance programs, scaling initiatives to reach over 1 million students, and strengthening education systems through work with organisations such as Pratham, American India Foundation, and Piramal Foundation. He also shared how the Fellowship shaped his leadership journey and enabled him to design people-centred, scalable solutions.
Akash Mukherjee
with 12+ years of experience, shared his journey starting as a Gandhi Fellow in tribal districts of Rajasthan. His work spans district- and state-level programs, community engagement, training design, and collaboration with government systems. He highlighted how field immersion and systems thinking during the Fellowship laid a strong foundation for purpose-driven work in education and community empowerment.
Key Takeaways for Students
The session encouraged Sociology students to reflect deeply on their academic choices and career aspirations. Key themes discussed included:
- How the Gandhi Fellowship builds leadership, empathy, and problem-solving skills
- Career pathways in social impact, education, public policy, and grassroots development
- Working collaboratively with government systems
- The value of working closely with communities and government systems to drive large-scale change
Through reflective questions around purpose, motivation, and long-term goals, students were invited to connect their education with meaningful societal impact.
Why the Gandhi Fellowship
Both speakers described the Gandhi Fellowship as a transformative leadership journey—offering real-world exposure to public education systems, community engagement, and early leadership responsibilities. They emphasized that for students from humanities and social sciences, the Fellowship serves as a launchpad for impactful careers in the social development sector.
The session concluded with strong interest from students keen to explore the Gandhi Fellowship as a pathway to personal growth, professional readiness, and nation-building.
Explore how the Gandhi Fellowship can help you transform your academic learning into meaningful social impact.
