All India Schooling, the Champions of Change Awards and the MISSION 1.5 Summit brought Lions leaders from across India together in Chennai.
The true measure of leadership is the service it makes possible. That principle lay at the heart of Lions Clubs of India All India Schooling 2026, held in Chennai from June 1 to 5, as incoming leaders from across the country prepared for the responsibilities of the new Lions year.
The five-day program brought together District Governors Elect, Vice District Governors Elect and Multiple Council Chairpersons Elect for structured learning, interaction and discussion. It was also part of a wider national gathering that included the LCOI Champions of Change Awards 2026 and the MISSION 1.5 Summit. Across the three events, attention turned to the leaders who would guide Lions through the coming year, individuals making a difference beyond the organization, and the opportunity to expand Lions’ reach by bringing in more hands to serve.
All India Schooling 2026: Preparing for the Year Ahead
Over the years, All India Schooling has emerged as one of the most important leadership development initiatives in the Lions world. Its value comes from formal training as well as the opportunity to learn from those who have led before them and exchange ideas with peers who will be navigating the same Lions year alongside them.
The learning modules are designed to help incoming leaders build the confidence, judgment and practical skills needed to lead their districts and Multiple Districts well.
The Schooling began well before the participants arrived in Chennai. District Governors Elect and First Vice District Governors Elect attended two virtual orientation sessions each, while Second Vice District Governors Elect attended one, giving them a useful head start before the residential program began.
Learning with Purpose
In Chennai, the residential program moved into more focused leadership training. Eighteen experienced Lions trainers led sessions that drew on both organizational knowledge and years of practical experience.
The common sessions brought participants into direct contact with senior Lions leadership. International President A.P. Singh and PID Sangeeta Jatia addressed the gathering, while the LCIF and CSR teams shared their perspectives. Past International Directors took part in a discussion, and Incoming International President Mark Lyon joined virtually. PID Robert Rtebby, endorsed candidate for Third International Vice President, also interacted with participants.
The ISAME Office team, led by Gloria Giri, helped familiarize the incoming leaders with the international support systems available to them.
Eight Group Coordinators worked alongside participants throughout the program, helping keep the classroom sessions interactive, focused and closely connected to their needs.
Learning Beyond the Classroom
There was room, too, for learning of a different kind. A Drum Circle brought participants together in a more informal setting, using rhythm and coordination to underline the value of teamwork and collective effort. Participants also took part in a hands-on service activity, bringing the program back to the principle that leadership in Lions is ultimately expressed through service.
Outside the classroom, the residential program gave participants time to interact more informally, renew old friendships and build new ones with Lions leaders from across the country.
A Celebration of Collective Effort
All India Schooling 2026 showed what can be achieved when visionary leadership meets a committed team. Under the guidance of International President A.P. Singh and Board Appointee PID Sangeeta Jatia, the organizing team worked toward a shared goal: to strengthen leadership development and create a learning experience that participants could carry into their roles.
An event of this scale would not have been possible without months of preparation. PID Mathangopal, PID R. Sampat, International Director S. Magesh and the core team’s meticulous planning and flawless execution were evident in the well-coordinated registrations, comfortable accommodation, warm hospitality and efficient logistics that kept the program running smoothly from start to finish.
Recognizing Service Beyond Lions: Champions of Change Awards 2026
Recognizing Service Beyond Lions: Champions of Change Awards 2026
In 1979, Jadav “Molai” Payeng planted around 20 bamboo seedlings on a sandbar in the Brahmaputra. What began with those few saplings grew into the Molai Forest — roughly 1,360 acres today, home to Bengal tigers, Indian rhinoceroses, monkeys, more than 100 deer and rabbits, and several species of birds. He came to be widely known as the ‘Forest Man of India.’
Stories such as his echoed through the grand ballroom of ITC Grand Chola on June 1, 2026, as the Lions Council of India honored the recipients of its Champions of Change Awards 2026.
Instituted to recognize individuals whose work has made a wider difference to society, the awards span fields as varied as medicine, education, industry, entrepreneurship, environmental conservation, social development, humanitarian service and public welfare. Previous recipients include Mrs. Rajshri Birla, Mr. Motilal Oswal, Mr. Anand Rathi, Dr. G.N. Rao, Mr. N. Ram, Dr. Nalli Kuppuswami Chetti, Mr. Kiran Karnik and Mr. D.R. Mehta, among several other nationally respected leaders and changemakers.
The 2026 awardees reflected that same breadth, with professional success translated into opportunities, better lives and stronger communities.
Change, their stories showed, takes many forms. It can emerge from a hospital, where a doctor restores sight or gives a patient a second chance at life. It can begin in a classroom, where education enables a young woman to build an independent future. It can come from a business leader who combines enterprise with nation-building, or from an environmentalist who spends decades restoring an ecosystem one tree at a time.
Their stories also underscored another important point: lasting change does not happen overnight. It is often the result of years — sometimes decades — of sustained effort.
The 2026 Awardees
- Dr. Rishi Raj Borah, Country Director – India, Orbis International
- Dr. A.V. Anoop, Chairman & Managing Director, AVA Group of Companies
- Dr. U.V. Ramana Raju, Chairman, UVSM Eye Hospital & Trust, Bhimavaram
- Mr. Surender Pal Singh Saluja, Founder & Chairman, Premier Energies Ltd
- Dr. Nilesh Jain, Principal & Controller, Kota Medical College
- CA Charanjot Singh Nanda, President 2025–2026, Institute of Chartered Accountants of India
- Mr. Mukesh Patel, Honorary Consul of Japan and Chairman Emeritus, Ahmedabad Red Cross
- Mr. Paras Desai, Executive Director, Wagh Bakri Tea Group
- Sardar Taranjit Singh, Managing Director, JIS Group
- Mr. Y.V. Hari Krishna, Chairman & Managing Director, Gopuram Group of Companies
- Mr. Sujith Kumar, Founder & Managing Trustee, Maatram Foundation
- Dr. Shashank R. Joshi, Consultant Endocrinologist & Diabetologist, Lilavati Hospital, Mumbai
- Dr. Mala Pandurang, Principal, Dr. Bhanuben Mahendra Nanavati College, Mumbai
- Mr. Jadav Payeng, Environmentalist, ‘Forest Man of India’
- Mr. Rajendra Parihar, Managing Director, Laxmi Udyog Group of Industries
- Mr. M. Seethapathy Rao, Chairman & Managing Director, Hycom Engineering India
- Dr. Soundarya Manohari Velamati, Founder & Managing Trustee, Gramadeep Charitable Trust
A Gathering of Leaders and Changemakers
The evening brought together the awardees, their families and leaders from the Lions fraternity and beyond. Chief Guest Hon’ble Member of Parliament Shri Beeda Masthan Rao and Hon’ble Member of Parliament Shri Magunta Sreenivasulu Reddy joined International President A.P. Singh, PID and Board Appointee Sangeeta Jatia, International Directors and Board Appointees from India, Past International Directors, incoming District Governors and Vice District Governors, along with GMT and GET Coordinators to celebrate the Champions of Change.
For Lions, the resonance of the evening was immediate. The awardees’ stories reflected the same instinct that drives service across the organization — to use one’s time, skills and influence in ways that leave something of value behind.
Cultural performances were also part of the evening, adding warmth and colour to the awards ceremony.
Looking Ahead
As participants returned to their districts, the All India Schooling in Chennai offered a reassuring glimpse of the next line of Lions leadership across India — better prepared, more connected and ready to take on their responsibilities with confidence.
The Schooling had equipped them for the roles ahead, while the Champions of Change Awards had offered a broader perspective on what service can achieve. The next chapter will be written in clubs and communities across the country, as a new Lions year begins.
