Shizenkan conducted a five-day field study program, “INDIA TREK 2025,” in Delhi and Gurugram, India.

This program was implemented in collaboration with the School of Inspired Leadership (SOIL), Shizenkan’s partner institution and a leading center for leadership education in India. Twenty students from the Class of 2027 (from both the Japanese- and English class) participated, embracing the challenge of learning in a true “World Classroom” that transcended language tracks and national boundaries.

Seeing the World Through the “Lens” of India

India—now the world’s most populous country and one of its fastest-growing economies—is a place where diverse religions and cultures coexist, and where development and tradition, wealth and poverty stand side by side. It is often described as a “microcosm of the 21st-century world.”

This trek was designed not as a conventional study tour, but as a deeply immersive experience in the realities of Indian society. Through this immersion, students were encouraged to relativize and reexamine their own countries, the world, and their personal views on leadership—ultimately redefining them from new perspectives.

Program Highlights

The field study was structured around three core dimensions: spirituality and social issues, dialogue and co-creation, and economic dynamism.

1. Encountering Layered History and Social Challenges

The first half of the program began with an “Inspired Leadership” session led by Mr. Anil Sachdev, Founder of SOIL, inviting students to reflect deeply on their inner selves.

Students then immersed themselves in the bustling environments of Old Delhi and New Delhi, visiting mosques and temples and experiencing India’s diverse spiritual traditions through all five senses. In a rural area near Gurugram, they visited the NGO Navjyoti Foundation, where they confronted social challenges and inequalities that exist beneath rapid economic development. Through dialogue with local community members, students learned about forms of leadership that seek to drive social change from the grassroots.

2. Co-Creation with the Next Generation of Leaders

During their stay, students participated in the Inspired Leadership Conference (ILC 2025) hosted by SOIL. Centered on the theme of the Circular Economy, the conference brought together SOIL MBA students, alumni, and local high school students.

Engaging in passionate discussions about a sustainable future with peers from diverse backgrounds, participants experienced a rare and meaningful exchange that intersected Japanese and Indian perspectives and fostered cross-cultural co-creation.

3. The Frontlines of Economic Growth and Innovation

As part of the business immersion, students visited Airtel, India’s largest telecommunications company, and Volvo Eicher Commercial Vehicles (VECV), a joint venture specializing in commercial vehicle manufacturing.

Through firsthand exposure to digital transformation (DX) strategies in a massive market and to manufacturing driven by global partnerships, students gained a visceral understanding of the dynamism and innovative spirit powering Indian companies at the forefront of the global economy.

Integrating Learning: Reflection and New Perspectives

On the final day, a Self-Reflection Workshop was held at SOIL’s new campus to synthesize the entire journey. Beginning with guided breathing techniques rooted in Indian yogic meditation, students articulated and shared the insights they had gained from operating outside their comfort zones in India’s intense and unfamiliar environment.

Within a complexity often described as “chaos,” students internalized the mindset required of global leaders and elevated their perspectives to a new level.

Shizenkan will continue to deliver experiential leadership education that bridges theory and real-world practice through immersive field-based programs such as this, cultivating leaders capable of navigating complexity in a rapidly changing world.