Leadership lessons don’t always come from a classroom or a committee meeting. Sometimes they come from stepping outside campus altogether. That was the idea behind a recent orientation visit organised by our DLLE Unit, which took our Student Manager (SM) and Deputy Student Manager (DSM) to the Nehru Planetarium in Worli, a short distance from campus but a world away from their usual routine.

Learning Beyond the Classroom

The visit was designed with a clear purpose: give our student leaders real exposure to how a large public institution actually runs. For an SM and DSM used to managing activities within the DLLE Unit, seeing those same principles, planning, coordination, responsibility, play out at a completely different scale offered a fresh, valuable perspective on leadership.

A Conversation Worth Remembering

The highlight of the visit came through a direct interaction with Mr. Arvind Paranjgpee, Director of Nehru Planetarium. Rather than a formal lecture, the conversation was personal and practical, Mr. Paranjgpee sharing insights drawn from his own experience managing people, teams and institutional responsibilities. For two student leaders still building their own leadership style, hearing it straight from someone managing an institution of that scale carried real weight.

Lessons That Go Beyond Theory

What made the interaction especially useful was how grounded it stayed. Mr. Paranjgpee spoke about the fundamentals that actually hold a team together, clear planning, consistent communication, sound decision-making, discipline and accountability. These aren’t abstract leadership buzzwords; they’re the daily habits that separate a well-run unit from one that’s constantly catching up. For the SM and DSM, it was a chance to connect ideas they’d likely encountered in theory to how they play out in real, high-responsibility roles.

Building Confidence for the Road Ahead

Interactions like this one tend to leave a lasting impression precisely because they’re unscripted. Our student leaders walked away not just with new information, but with a noticeably sharper sense of how to approach their responsibilities within the DLLE Unit. That shift, from managing tasks to managing with intention, is exactly what experiential learning is meant to build.

Why the DLLE Unit Keeps Investing in This

This visit reflects something the DLLE Unit consistently prioritises: giving student leaders opportunities that stretch beyond routine coordination work. Whether it’s through site visits, mentorship conversations or hands-on responsibility, the goal remains the same, helping students develop the kind of practical leadership skills that classrooms alone can’t fully teach.

A Small Visit, A Bigger Takeaway

In the end, this wasn’t just an educational outing. It was a reminder that leadership is learned as much through observation and conversation as it is through formal training. Thanks to the guidance of Mr. Arvind Paranjgpee, our SM and DSM return to their roles with a little more confidence, a little more clarity, and a genuinely enriched understanding of what it means to lead.

Want to see more of what our DLLE Unit is up to? Visit Hinduja College to see what’s next.