Ramesh Dundappa Gongadi is the Assistant Director of Strategic Partnerships at The Association of People with Disability (APD) in Bangalore, India. In November 2017, Ramesh joined the Meridian programme in the city along with various leaders from the government, NGOs and the private sector. Over the next few months, he had the opportunity to examine his own leadership and develop his ability to lead beyond authority.

One of the most helpful takeaways from the programme was the emphasis on networking. In Ramesh’s own words: ‘Earlier my networking was limited to only NGOs and government. The Meridian programme has made me realize the importance of networking with all key players at various levels.’ Having the opportunity to interact with people from various sectors and specializations helped Ramesh look at issues from different perspectives and share his own learnings with others.

Speaking about his experience of the programme, Ramesh said that Meridian developed his ability to lead beyond authority, take on newer responsibilities, grasp opportunities, and operate as a leader not only within but also outside of his organization. As a development professional, he often has to work with various stakeholders – in different geographies and situations – which requires him to be adaptable and culturally intelligent. Meridian equipped him to adapt to new environments and make decisions taking into consideration constraints such as time and resources.

‘The Meridian programme enabled me to learn new things and grow as a thought leader in the sector; to meet complex challenges; and to improve my knowledge, skills and networking in order to achieve the vision statement of APD. In the future, I will apply my learning from the programme in my day-to-day life.’

The Association of People with Disability (APD) | 6^th Cross, Hutchins Road,

Off.Hennur Main Road, Lingarajapuram, St.Thomas Town, Bangalore- 560084
Mobile: +91 9945413020, Email: rameshd@apd-india.org, Website: www.apd-india.org