New Delhi, February 2026
World Leaders’ Summit and Awards was successfully held at the India International Centre, New Delhi. A Conference on the theme “Sustainable Development: Preparing Leaders for a Sustainable Future” was a part of it.
The event was jointly organised by International Education Olympiads (IEO) and SPACE India, two organisations steered by like-minded visionaries, experienced educators, and educationists committed to identifying future professional leaders and supporting them in realising their full potential for human progress.
The conference was graced by Padma Vibhushan Hon’ble Dr. Karan Singh as the Chief Guest. A renowned Statesman, Visionary Philosopher, former Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) & Minister of Education & Culture, former Ambassador of India to the United States of America, former Chairperson of the UNESCO Institute of Education for Peace, and Member of UNESCO’s Commission on Education for the 21st Century, Dr. Karan Singh delivered an inspiring Keynote Address aligned with the conference theme.
In his address, Dr. Karan Singh eloquently spoke on the timeless Indian philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam—the world is one family—and emphasised the true purpose of education beyond books and marks. He highlighted the four pillars of real learning: Learning to Know, Learning to Do, Learning to Live Together and Learning to Be.
Urging leaders across all fields—education, healthcare, and public life—he called for these values to be actively practised to build a more humane, responsible, and sustainable world.
The conference featured an eminent panel of speakers and leaders, including:
- Prof. M. K. Das (Educationist & Conference Chairperson)
- Ms. Anita Devraj (Educationist & Conference Co-Chairperson)
- Dr. Kuldeep Agarwal (Educationist & Conference Director)
- Er. Praveen Agarwal (Conference Co-Director)
- Dr. Pratyush Panda (Corporate Sustainable Development Specialist)
- Mr. Jaya Prakash Dabral (Sustainable Development Activist & President, Himalayan Chipko Foundation)
Their insightful deliberations enriched the dialogue on leadership, sustainability, and value-based education.
The event was attended by leaders from diverse fields, including school principals, doctors, hospital owners, directors, professors, teachers, edupreneurs, startup founders, influencers, and education professionals. Participants represented over 10 countries, including India, Nepal, Malaysia, Mauritius, Philippines, Sri Lanka, and the United States of America, reflecting the global spirit of the conference.
Commending the initiative, Dr. Karan Singh praised the organisers for creating a meaningful global platform and encouraged them to continue organising such conferences to connect leaders and thinkers from around the world for collective progress.
The conference concluded on a high note, reinforcing a shared commitment to nurturing responsible leadership and advancing sustainable development through education and collaborative global dialogue.
Awardees
- Dr. Naba Kumar Haldar – Sushma Swaraj Excellence in Leadership Award
- Beejaye Ramchurn – Excellence in Educational Innovation Award
- Dr. T. Sanjeevee Jayram – Lifetime Achievement Award in Education
- Kobinathan Palaniandy – Atal Lifetime Contribution to Leadership Award
- Dr. Biswajit Brahma – Lifetime Achievement Award in Education
- Dr. Navneet Kaur – Lifetime Achievement Award in Education
- Bina Khadka – Sushma Swaraj Women Leadership Excellence Award
- Brundavanam Partha Sarathi – Atal Bihari Vajpayee Leadership Excellence Award
- Jyoti Meena – Outstanding Influencer of the Year Award
- Morning Star Hospital, Kanyakumari District, India – Outstanding Hospital of the Year Award
- Prof. (Dr.) Nagalaxmi M Raman – Transformational Education Leader of the Year Award
- Dr. Dillip Kumar Dash – Lifetime Achievement Award in Healthcare
- Rajesh Kumar Yadav – Education Reformer of the Year Award
- Assoc. Prof. Sumit Deb – Lifetime Achievement Award in Education
- Dr. Ashveen Mudupadi Peddadu – Emerging Healthcare Leader Award
- Sreeraj G Pai – Outstanding Education Professional of the Year Award
- Kakoli Banerjee – Transformational Education Leader of the Year Award
- Jahanavi Prajapati – Academic Excellence Leadership Award
- Dr. Smriti Sharma – Outstanding School Coordinator of the Year Award
- Dr. T. Ashuhrrii Romeo – Business Leader of the Year Award
- Dr. Bennete Fernandes – Outstanding Education Professional of the Year 2026 Award in Dentistry (Periodontics)
- Manish Kumar – Excellence in Sustainability & ESG Practices Award
- Lion Dr. Padmakshi Lokesh – Emerging Healthcare Leader Award
- Panchayat Union Middle School, Avanathankottai West – Outstanding School for Co-Curricular Excellence
- Bharat Chander Uprati – Outstanding Corporate Leader of the Year Award
- Dr. Nehal Vitthalbhai Gajera – Excellence in Public Health & Community Service Award
- Shanti Kudiri – Academic Excellence Leadership Award
- FirstCry Intellitots Preschool & Daycare – Outstanding Kindergarten School of the Year
- Little Champ Pre School – Outstanding School for Academic Excellence
- Pianka Chakraborty – Emerging Education Leader of the Year Award
- Dr. Tariq Hashmi – Outstanding Director of the Year Award
- Simran Sinha – Visionary Edupreneur of the Year Award
- Sukhada Das, Principal, Broadvision World School – Academic Excellence Leadership Award
- Armina Fe Generoso Jose – Academic Excellence Leadership Award
- Anna’s Ark Daycare Center – Outstanding Kindergarten School of the Year Award
- Alfred Jimenez – Outstanding Corporate Leader of the Year Award
- Rahmani Shaheda Parveen Mohammad Ishaque – Outstanding Doctor of the Year Award
- Dr. Shailendra – Sushma Swaraj Inspirational Leader Award
- Ms. Alka Sahani – Outstanding Principal of the Year Award
- Mohd Izwan Bin Shahril – Outstanding Excellence in Physical Education Curriculum Methodology Award
- Kenneth D. Sibal – Outstanding Teacher of the Year Award
- Dr. (H). Rajesh Bijronia – Lifetime Achievement Award in Education
- Prof. Anju Bali Pandey – Academic Excellence Leadership Award
- Sajjad Ahmad (Sajad Noorabadi) – Atal Leadership Excellence Award
- Dr. Arvind Narayanan – Outstanding Education Leadership Award
- Ms. Pooja Malhotra – Transformational School Principal of the Year Award
- Prof. Sandeep Kulkarni – Lifetime Contribution to Academic Excellence Award
- Dr. Meera Subramanian – Women Leadership Excellence in Education Award
- Mr. Ritesh Chawla – Emerging Edupreneur of the Year Award
- Dr. Kavita Bhargava – Excellence in Curriculum Innovation Award
- Mr. Nikhil Bansal – Outstanding Corporate Social Impact Leader Award
- Prof. Ananya Sen Gupta – Research & Pedagogical Advancement Award
- Dr. Rohit Deshmukh – Healthcare & Community Service Excellence Award
- Dr. Aiman Zulkefli (Malaysia) – International Educational Technology Integration Award
- Ms. Nur Syafiqah Rahman (Malaysia) – Outstanding Young Education Leader Award
- Prof. Miguel Santos Reyes (Philippines) – Global Teaching Excellence Award
- Dr. Clarisse Mae Dizon (Philippines) – Academic Innovation & Research Award
- Mr. Wayan Adi Pratama (Bali, Indonesia) – Sustainable Development Leadership Award
- Ms. Putri Laksmi Dewantara (Bali, Indonesia) – Outstanding Community Education Service Award
- Dr. Chinedu Okonkwo (Nigeria) – Global Healthcare Leadership Award
- Prof. Suman Thapa (Nepal) – Lifetime Achievement Award in Education
- Mr. Rijan Koirala (Nepal) – Emerging Youth Leadership & Social Impact Award
- Prof. Ramesh Adhikari – Lifetime Achievement Award in Education
- Ms. Sushmita Koirala – Emerging Education Leader of the Year Award
- Prof. Miguel Santos-Reyes – Academic Excellence Leadership Award
- Ms. Clarissa Mendoza – Outstanding Edupreneur of the Year Award
- Dr. Meenakshi Ramanathan – Outstanding Curriculum Innovation Award
- Mr. Arvind Saxena – Excellence in Sustainable Development Leadership Award
- Ms. Kavita Deshpande – Outstanding Education Professional of the Year Award
- Dr. Nitin Bansal – Academic Excellence & Research Leadership Award
