PRESS RELEASE

"The Only Thing that Keeps You Safe is How Humane You Are,” Says Sridhar Aranala at USTM’s Leadership Workshop

9th Mile, Khanapara, Ri Bhoi - Friday, November 14, 2025: The University of Science and Technology Meghalaya (USTM) came alive today with a powerful and thought-provoking leadership session as Shri Sridhar Aranala, Vice President of Sales and Distribution at The Hindu Group, addressed faculty, administrators, and students at a professional development workshop titled “Leadership Styles for Team Success.” The event held at Prof. N.K. Chaudhury Auditorium was organised by the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC).

Present at the program were HODs, professors, faculty members, administrative staff, Chief Advisor to USTM Shri R.K. Sharma, Director; who collectively extended a warm welcome to the distinguished speaker.  

Known for his quietly powerful leadership and unconventional ideas, Sridhar Aranala is the driving force behind The Hindu's circulation strength—a newspaper with an unparalleled 147-year legacy. Shri Aranala’s journey is a story of adaptability, humility, which he says is a pill that must be swallowed every day, and conviction - traits he brought to the USTM stage in full measure.

Engaging, energetic, and deeply human, his rich interactive session with questions pouring out kept the entire audience spellbound.

At the heart of his message was a single powerful idea:  “A good leader only needs to be a good human.  He urged participants to rethink leadership not as a title but as a lived practice. “A leader is born, not designated,” he said, emphasising that every individual has multiple opportunities to lead each day through their actions and skills, mentioning that the power of articulation to make oneself heard is one of the most influential markers of a leader.

He stressed that what is being said should matter more than who is saying it. “If we learn to separate the ‘who’ from the ‘what,’ we solve most of life’s problems,” he added, drawing nods and smiles from the audience.

Wrapping up the workshop, Debasish Saha, Director of Operations and IQAC, reiterated the transformative points of Sridhar Aranala’s talk.  Participants described it as “inspiring,” “eye-opening,” and “one of the most memorable leadership sessions at USTM - one that is sure to influence the leadership culture at USTM.