AUG 13: The Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya National Academy of Social Security (PDUNASS), under the Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), Ministry of Labour & Employment, in collaboration with the Satyarthi Movement for Global Compassion (SMGC), organised a special training programme on “Compassion in Governance”. The initiative aimed to equip public servants with the skills and mindset to combine efficiency with empathy in service delivery.
The programme began with a ceremonial lamp lighting, attended by Shri Kumar Rohit, Director, PDUNASS, senior EPFO officers, and experts from SMGC. Over 60 participants joined in person, while more than 100 attended virtually.
The training built on the 17th edition of PDUNASS’s online lecture series “Re-Imagining Governance Discourse for Excellence (RGDE)”, during which Nobel Peace Laureate Kailash Satyarthi delivered the keynote address on “Reimagining Compassionate Governance”. In the same session, Shri Ramesh Krishnamurthi, Central Provident Fund Commissioner, urged EPFO officers to incorporate compassion into their daily responsibilities.
Responding to this vision, PDUNASS designed a pilot one-day training programme for its probationers in partnership with SMGC. In his welcome remarks, Shri Kumar Rohit emphasised that governance is not only about implementing laws but also about understanding and responding to citizens’ needs. “Processes must be guided by compassion to ensure governance is truly people-centric,” he said.
Led by SMGC faculty members Ms. Diksha Chopra, Ms. Ishani Sachdeva, Mr. Shiv Kumar Sharma, Ms. Jahanara Rabia Raza, and Ms. Ikanshi Khanna, the sessions explored the distinctions between sympathy, empathy, and compassion, as well as mindful decision-making, active listening, and conflict resolution with empathy.
The training incorporated case studies, role-playing, and reflective discussions, enabling participants to develop practical strategies for integrating compassion into their daily administrative work. The programme reinforced the belief that compassionate governance can significantly enhance trust, responsiveness, and effectiveness in public service.
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