Building Bridges, Brick by Brick: Leadership Lessons from the Field

What does it take to transform classrooms, empower teachers, and reach thousands of students across India?

It takes people.

At CEQUE, our work in 10 districts—impacting 3,200 teachers and on track to reach 5,000 by 2030—has only been possible because of the people behind it: the district teams who bring the mission to life every day. And recently, during our three-day capacity-building gathering, we were reminded again that leadership doesn’t always look like a speech or a title.

Sometimes, it looks like matching pink kurtas. A community trek. A shared laugh. A safe space. A small gesture that says, you belong here.

We’re talking about the leadership of Shivalingappa Kanchanale in Belgavi and Dipti Pingale in Palghar—two District Managers showing us what it means to nurture teams, hold space for growth, and model the kind of trust that doesn’t need to be spoken to be felt.

Belgavi: Unity in Colour, Strength in Togetherness

In Belgavi, leadership looks like everyone in white one day, then everyone in pink the next. The team doesn't just dress alike—they show up with the same spirit. It might seem small, but this intentional coordination builds identity. It breaks down hierarchy. It cultivates community.

Shivalingappa doesn’t lead from above—he leads from within. His team hikes together. They contribute to a “gullak jar” for outings. The office has a “Friend Zone” corner where team members pause to chat, listen, share.

Culture isn’t an add-on here—it is the work.

And when a team believes in each other that deeply, it reflects in how they show up for teachers, schools, and communities.

Palghar: Leadership With Heart, Empathy in Action

Dipti Pingale

In Palghar, Dipti Pingale is practicing a quiet kind of leadership—rooted in trust, empathy, and steady presence.

New team member? You’re family. Missed a deadline? Let’s talk, peer to peer. Staff meeting? There’s food, laughter, and space to breathe.

She doesn’t micromanage—she mentors. She doesn’t correct—she cultivates. She believes transformation starts from within, and she leads by example.

Her team notices. They carry her calmness into their classrooms. They treat teachers the same way she treats them: with dignity, warmth, and faith in their potential.

The Heartbeat Behind the Change

These aren’t just inspiring stories—they’re windows into the engine of lasting educational change. Because real impact doesn’t come from scale alone. It happens when leadership like Shivalingappa’s and Dipti’s becomes the norm. When trust, care, and collaboration are embedded into how we work—not just with teachers, but with each other.

This is the quiet force driving CEQUE’s impact: a growing cadre of leaders across districts who bring not just skills, but deep intention to their work. Who make culture visible. Who lead from the middle, the margins, and the heart.

And for every story we’ve shared here, there are dozens more across our expanding team. Together, they are the scaffolding on which large-scale, lasting transformation is being built—one conversation, one connection, one courageous act at a time.