Learning to Lead

Sampath Ramanujam’s IVLP Impact Award Project, the “Youth Special Parliament,” helped students understand the concepts of democracy and elections. (Illustration by Lightspring / Shutterstock.com)

Sampath Ramanujam, a Bengaluru-based civic leader, social organizer and politician is making an impact on his community through his innovative civic leadership network.

In 2023, Ramanujam participated in the International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP), the U.S. State Department’s premier professional exchange program that connects professionals with their counterparts in the United States through short-term visits. The program titled “Young Politicians: The Future of Indian Democracy” provided Ramanujam with insights into democracy, governance and public policy in the United States. During his three-week visit to various U.S. cities, Ramanujam also explored strategies and learned about best practices in responsible citizen activism, leadership development and effective civic engagement.

Ramanujam’s exchange experience led to the development of his IVLP Impact Award Project, the “Youth Special Parliament.” This project brought together hundreds of students to work together on presenting civic issues to their local elected officials.

The IVLP Impact Awards Initiative offers follow-on support to recent IVLP participants to help them leverage and share the knowledge and connections gained during their exchange experience. This support enables them to design and implement innovative solutions to the challenges facing their home communities.

From tech to service

Ramanujam’s journey into public service began after two decades as a senior software engineer and project manager at IBM. Deeply interested in social issues and politics, his first experience of elections was in 2011, when he became the president of his apartment association.

In 2015, Ramanujam contested his first public election for the gram panchayat representative of Seegehalli County in Bengaluru, falling short of victory by a mere three votes. Over the next five years, he actively engaged with the community through his social service organization, Anvaya Foundation, which paid off when he successfully won the gram panchayat election in 2020.

When Ramanujam learned about his selection for the IVLP, he grabbed the opportunity. “Connecting with like-minded people across nations sounded like it would be a great experience,” he says. One of the highlights of Ramanujam’s IVLP was a visit to Iowa, where he met with the Iowa Youth Congress. This program brings together high school students from across the state to provide them with knowledge and experience in government and community advocacy.

The IVLP impact
“After seeing the Iowa Youth Congress, I wanted to implement a similar program in Bengaluru,” he says, referring to the Youth Special Parliament.

Sampath’s project engaged more than 1100 students across 12 schools. He met with school leaders to introduce the Youth Special Parliament and later guided students through the concept and helped organize classroom elections. Additionally, over 360 students participated during a college interaction at the Bengaluru Book Festival, and over 270 students were reached through the “We the People of India” booklet, which was launched by Karnataka’s Deputy Election Commissioner. The informative sessions, along with the debates, helped the participants understand democracy, elections and parliamentary procedures.

“In my lifetime, I feel like I’ve lived many different lives,” Ramanujam describes. “I’m a cyclist, a social activist who founded an NGO, and used to be a successful software engineer. But of all these roles, those 30 days when I was part of the IVLP were different and special.”

“I approached the program with an open mind,” he continues, “and I had no plans or expectations. Every meeting was a surprising and enriching experience.”

Ramanujam advises young people in India to look for similar opportunities to explore, experience new things and meet new people. “Limiting yourself to one city or country won’t broaden your perspective,” he says.

Michael Gallant is a New York City-based writer, musician and entrepreneur.

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