Titled “From Follower to Leader – Nurturing Leadership,” the session was led by Ms. Opal Davis Dawson, a renowned educationist, leadership coach, and former principal associated with ASCD. She shared a comprehensive four-stage model for leadership development and emphasised the importance of distributed leadership and measurable professional growth. The context & tone of the session were set by Ms. Abha Adams (ARISE Fellow) who highlighted the evolving challenges of educational leadership in a rapidly changing world, and concluded with reflections from Ms. Amrita Burman (Member, ARISE Principal Forum Committee), who underscored the need for structured mentoring and leadership pipelines in schools.

The webinar received an enthusiastic response, engaging hundreds of principals nationwide. Participants appreciated the session’s balance of theory, practice, and actionable insights, reinforcing the relevance of capacity building in school leadership. 

The ARISE Principal Forum aims to serve as a transformative platform for dialogue, peer learning, and professional growth. Through collaborations with global partners such as ISTE and ASCD, ARISE continues to curate programs that strengthen educational leadership and contribute to the vision of Viksit Bharat @2047.