ARLP Course 17 return from Incredible India.

The 32 leaders who are participating in the current ARLP course 17 have recently returned from a deeply moving and inspirational tour of India. Participants are from around Australia and work in diverse fields like health, agriculture, infrastructure and environment.

“Throughout the fortnight in India we met with influential leaders including renowned change agents, Dr Kiran Bedi and Dr Jayaprakash Narayan, rural scientists, entrepreneurs and local leaders. We visited rural villages and worlds-best infrastructure facilities like the Delhi Underground Train System and HighTech City in Hyderabad to learn about leadership from the remarkable individuals who led these projects,” says the Foundation’s Chief Executive, Dr Lesley Fitzpatrick who accompanied the group.

 “We also visited a cross section of agricultural villages where we interacted with the villagers and discussed the problems that affect people living in rural areas around the world.”

Participant Rebel Black of Lightning Ridge in NSW met with the women from various micro-credit federations in the Gurgan villages area and says that “issues are similar around the world, but what I find very inspiring here in India is that adversity doesn’t break the spirit of the people.”

Catherine Marriot, a cattle nutritionist from Victoria explains how the Indian farmers resort to community farming when it’s not possible to sustain their individual agricultural practices. “Real development only comes with value creation and productivity, and the villagers here understand that well,” said Catherine.

Participants will reconvene as a group to understand some of the economic, envrionmental and social impacts of the Murray Darling Basin plan in Victoria in mid June.