In 1992, I attended a family conference at the IofC training centre at Asia Plateau in Panchgani. The conference was unlike any I had attended before. There were no grand lectures or strategic frameworks. Instead, there was honest personal reflection and sharing and dedicated periods of silence in a safe space for what they called “inner listening.” It was simple yet profound: pause, reflect, and listen to the voice within.
The four absolute principles upheld by IofC — Purity, Honesty, Unselfishness, and Love — resonated deeply with my upbringing. Born and raised in a small village in Kerala, I grew up in a home where prayer, gratitude, and reverence for the entire universe were woven into daily life. My father often spoke about the interconnectedness of existence and reminded us of the Sanskrit maxim Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam — the world is one family. Our days began and ended with prayers for the well-being of all- Loka samastha sukhino bhavanthu.
During the quiet periods of inner listening and reflection at the conference at Asia Plateau, I was shown a mirror. When I became a Principal — a comparatively young and inexperienced leader — my colleagues rejoiced at my appointment. Yet, before long, I sensed a growing distance. Conversations would stop when I entered the staff room. Greetings felt formal rather than warm. I was hurt, but I could not understand why. After returning from the workshop, the first thing I did was invite my colleagues—starting with the senior-most—for one-on-one conversations in my office. I began openly apologizing for my mistakes. I sought to understand them as individuals. We spoke not about targets or performance, but about them and their families.
Clarity dawned during those moments of inner listening. In my determination to make the school the best in the city, I had gradually become authoritarian. My restless drive for excellence had overshadowed empathy. Without realizing it, I had strained relationships that had once brought me joy. I was reminded of occasions when I had been jealous, egoistic, impatient, selfish, or quick to blame. It was not that I had been unaware of these tendencies before. However, the training in introspection and listening to my inner voice that I underwent at their families. I also invited their suggestions for improving the school. The impact was almost immediate. Within days, a colleague mentioned that teachers were already speaking about the positive change in me after attending the MRA/IofC conference. Gradually, trust was restored. A renewed spirit of togetherness emerged—one that gently rippled outward to students and parents as well. The school began to feel like a family once again. In that process, I evolved—from being a boss to becoming a leader.
“Inner listening did more than repair relationships; it expanded my vision, strengthened my purpose and gave me direction.”
As I continued the discipline of reflection, ideas emerged with remarkable clarity. It felt almost miraculous to see the right people, opportunities, and resources align at the right time. For instance, we introduced invigilation-less examinations to nurture integrity. Peer-help systems fostered collaboration. Hobby classes—similar to the vocational education now encouraged under the National Education Policy—helped students discover latent talents and build confidence. Affirmations followed by short mindfulness practices after every period helped students de- stress and strengthen self-esteem. Teachers wore khadi on Mondays to promote simplicity and support village industries. We initiated village adoption programmes and conducted free afternoon classes for underprivileged children in our English-medium campuses.
Our School Chairman, late Mr. A. P. R. Nair, was a visionary who believed that quality education was not the privilege of a few but a fundamental right for all. In 1995, inspired and guided by his clarity of purpose, we co-founded the Kerala Public Trust. What began as a shared conviction gradually expanded into a network of formal schools, tribal schools, and free educational initiatives for underprivileged children, developed in partnership with government agencies and local industries. Environmental initiatives, self-help groups, vocational training programmes, rural development efforts, and educational outreach naturally followed as extensions of this commitment.
