Agra - November 2014

A series of exclusive conversations exploring the 'shifts in power' and their impact on leadership in the 21st Century

the future of power

i n Pa r t n e r s h i p s w i t h t h e

summary report

Agra is on the banks of the river Yamuna in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Although its history dates back to 1000 BC it is a major tourist destination because of its many splendid Mughal-era buildings, most notably the Tāj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpūr Sikrī which are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Known as Akbarabād, it was the capital of the Mughal Empire under the Emperors Akbar, Jahāngīr and Shāh Jahān. Shāh Jahān later shifted his capital to Shāhjahānabād in the year 1689.

Akbar raised the towering ramparts of the Great Red Fort and created a centre for learning, arts, commerce and religion and built Fatehpūr Sikrī in the form of a Mughal military camp in stone. His son Jahāngīr laid many gardens inside the Red Fort while Shāh Jahān gave Akbarabād its most prized monument, the Tāj Mahal built in loving memory of his wife Mumtāz Mahal, completed in 1653. The Empress Nūr Jahān built I'timād-Ud-Daulah's Tomb, sometimes called the "Baby Tāj", for her father. Small in comparison to many other tombs, it is described as a jewel box for its delicate beauty. Sikandra, the last resting place of the Mughal Emperor Akbar the Great, is only 13 kilometres from the Agra Fort. After the decline of the Mughal Empire, the city came under the influence of the Marathas and was called Agra, before falling into the hands of the British Raj in 1803.

Agra has many industries including Harihar Biotech, one of the largest plant tissue culture laboratories in North India and is home to the Dainik Jagran newspaper. Morphers Animation Studios LLP provides 3D visualization services to clients around the world. The city is known for leather goods, Mughal carpets, Zari and Zardozi embroidery work, marble and stone carving and inlay work. It is also known for its sweets, Petha and Gajak, and Dalmoth, a savoury snack.

The Mughal Heritage Walk is part of a community development programme. A 1 km loop, it connects the agricultural fields with the Rajasthani culture, the ancient village of Kuchhpura, the Heritage Structure of Mehtab Bagh, the Mughal aqueduct system, the Humanyun Mosque and the Gyarah Sidi.

In the Mughal era, Agra grew as a centre of Islamic education. It was the Scindia rulers who formed a Sanskrit school that later became Agra College, one of the oldest colleges in India. The British introduced a western style of education in Agra, and it was during this era that Agra became a great center of Hindi literature. Agra nurtured the likes of Ghalib, Tansen, Surdas, Nazeer and many more. This literary and cultural heritage is kept alive with the Taj Mahotsav, a cultural festival; as well as Ram Barat, the marriage procession of Shri Ram and the Taj Literature Festival.

Agra City

Arun Kumar Verma

Sant Baba Pritam Singh Ji

“Unity among positive thoughts is power. Gathering all our positive thoughts and applying them in action is power. "

“I am responsible for my own power. This comes from asking 3 questions –Who am I? Who do I belong to? What do I have to do?”

“I need to allow the influence of the Supreme Power by sitting quietly, doing

yoga and meditation. This positively influences my thoughts, world,

relations and people all around.”

“Power is great gift of Almighty to his few chosen men to serve the mankind.”

Anthony Phelips

Annie Waltham

Ashwina JoshiRajyoga TeacherBrahma Kumaris

B. Selva Kumar

“Appreciate your responsibilities and be accountable for your actions. Give your best

to society to repay their trust in you. Educate others in their duties, ethics and

ensure their general well being."

Bianca Kong

“Power is spirituality within.”

Amit Gupta

“Power is the mode to communicate with your true self. If one trains one's self to align power in this direction, one can do wonders for society and for the self."

Founder & CEOHarihar Biotech Life Coach Counsellor Trainer

Ecsplicite, France

Strategic Corporate AdvisorOxford, UK

GM, Canara Bank

Postmaster GeneralIndian Postal Services

PramukhGurudwara, Guru ka Taal

Training ConsultantShanghai, China

AgraFOP Participants and Feedback

Prof K D Swami

Melissa Oberon Levoff

“I have witnessed that working with the prisoners with music therapy has improved the prisoners life."

“God is the ultimate power."

“This wonderful experience revived the power in my life. Truth is God.

Practicing truth in life bring us closer to God. What we do affects the whole

society not only yourself."

“Integrate the subtle connection with God with the conscious mind and turn this "wisdom" into an actionable force that becomes the physical emotional and psychological manifestation of who I am and what I do in my life time."

“Strengthen will power and determination and success will follow in all walks of life."

Ganesh Yadav

Devesh Shukla

Prof Lovely SharmaSitarist & Music TherapistDayal Bagh University

Manju Rani Gupta

Dr Nibir K Ghosh

“Primarily it seems that the things around are taking us away from

ourselves. The practice here helped us to come back to our own self."

Chander Mohan Sachdev

“We should not misuse the power given to us, rather we should use it to progress in spirituality."

DirectorAlert India

MD, Omshree Infraheights

ChairmanZila Panchyat

V CMaharaja Surajmal Brij University

GMAgra Water Works

ROLETARIAT DenimLos Angeles, USA

HOD English DeptAgra College

Raja Raghuraj Singh

Shabbir Abbas

“Power is the inner soul - right attitude, being ethical, calm, positive, having the human

touch, generousity, forgiveness and inspiring others by following the spiritual path."

“Being good and positive with all good deeds, faith in your religion, love for God makes you powerful. All good things can make your life

better inspite of all odds."Rev Fr Paul Thannickal

Dr Pankaj Mahendru

Dr Prof Ramesh C MishraSecretary Neurological Society of India

Dr Renu Mahendru

"The realization that God is with me, makes me stronger in dealing with the external world. Nurture

the soul with honesty, purity and truth. Repay society. This approach towards life: Happy Living".

Dr Srikanth Prasad Tripathy

Nizar Juma

“Power is about being a custodian, to hold the power wisely and to use it with benevolence.”

Initiator, the future of powerIndustrialistNairobi, Kenya

Vice Chairman Cantonment Board

Principal St Peter's College MD

Laxmi Vilas Palace Heritage Hotel

MemberAgra Cantonment Board

MemberAgra Congress

DirectorNational JALMA Institute for Leprosy

Nizamuddin Khan

“Realisation of God by realising our self generates power."

“Everything is already set on the earth by God. Moving along on the path of truth is

the real power."

“Power is self realization, spending time in meditation to realize why we exist in this

world. It is the self confidence to do good deeds while others are doing wrong."

Nandkishore Manghrani

V B Singh

Dr Sushma Singh

“Inner power is greater than the power of the sword and brings victory. The one who is ready to die for the truth will not die a physical death. We should use this power for world peace."

PrincipalRaja Balwant Singh College

Executive EngineerJal Sansthan

OwnerRamada Plaza

Project ManagerJal Nigam

Seated from left to right: Annie Waltham (Life Coach Counsellor Trainer, UK), Bianca Kong (Training Consultant, China), Dr Sushma Singh (Principal, Raja Balwant Singh College), Rita Singh, Amita Verma, Vimla Didi (Sub Zone Incharge, Agra), Nizar Juma (Initiator, the future of power, Kenya), Prof Lovely Sharma (Sitarist & Music Therapist, Dayal Bagh University), Dr Renu Mahendru (Member, Agra Cantonment Board), Melissa Oberon Levoff ( Designer & Founder, ROLETARIAT Denim, US), BK Kavita (Rajyoga Teacher, Brahma Kumaris, Bharatpur), Nazia Khan, Ashwina Joshi (Rajyoga Teacher, Brahma Kumaris), Geeta Chaurasia, BK Alka

Standing from left to right: BK Shriram (FOP Team), BK Rajeev (FOP Team), Chander Mohan Sachdev (Director, Alert India), Nandkishore Mangharani (Chairman, Hotel Ramada Plaza Agra), Sant Manjeet Singh ji (Gurudwara Guru ka Taal), Sant Harband Singh ji (Gurudwara Guru ka Taal), Arun Kumar Verma (GM, Canara Bank), V B Singh (Executive Engineer, Water Works), Devesh Shukla (MD, Omshree Infraheights), Anthony Phelips (Strategic Marketing Consultant, Nestle, UK), Ganesh Yadav (Chairman, Zila Panchyat), Prof K D Swami (VC, Maharaja Surajmal Brij University, Bharatpur), Vimla Swami, Raja Raghuraj Singh (MD, Laxmi Vilas Palace Heritage Hotel, Bharatpur), Dr Pankaj Mahendru (Vice Chairman, Agra Cantonment Board), Nizamuddin Khan (Project Manager, Jal Nigam), Rev Fr Paul Thannickal (Principal, St Peter's College), B. Selva Kumar (Postmaster General, Indian Postal Services), Amit Gupta (Founder & CEO, Harihar Biotech), Nitin Singhal (FOP Team), Vibhor Kumar Singh

Participants not in the picture: Manju Rani Gupta (GM, Agra Water Works), Nibir K Ghosh (HOD, English Dept Agra College), Raja Mahendra Aridaman Singh (Cabinet Minister Stamp, Registration Fees and Civil Defence), Ram Sakal Gurjar (Technichal Education State Minister), Dr Ramesh C Mishra (Secretary, Neurological Society of India), Shabbir Abbas (Member, Agra Congress), Dr Srikanth Prasad Tripathy (Director, National JALMA Institute for Leprosy), Seema Upadhyay (Ex MP, BSP)

Hotel Ramada Plaza Agra, Saturday, 8th November, 2014