Meghalaya legislators in London to get leadership qualities
Speaker felicitated by Lord Uday Nagaraju, Member of the House of Lords, at UK Parliament
Shillong, Nov 10: Meghalaya Legislators participate in UK leadership excellence programme to strengthen governance and policy-making
A delegation of Meghalaya legislators and government officials is participating in the State Legislators’ Leadership Excellence Programme in the United Kingdom, aimed at strengthening leadership capabilities, enhancing governance practices and broadening perspectives on public policy and institutional development.
The programme, being held from November 7 to 14 in London and Cambridge, is jointly organised by the Meghalaya Legislative Research Fellowship Project (MLRF), and the Intellectual Forum at Jesus College, Cambridge, in collaboration with King’s India Institute, King’s College London (KCL), and LSE Consulting, The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE).
The delegation is led by the Hon’ble Speaker of the Meghalaya Legislative Assembly, Thomas A Sangma among the participants. The programme brings together legislators and officials for an intensive engagement with academics, policy experts, former parliamentarians and institutional leaders from the United Kingdom.
The legislators associated with the programme include Deputy Speaker Shri Limison D Sangma; Deputy Government Chief Whip Ronnie V Lyngdoh; Ministers Marcuise N Marak and Paul Lyngdoh; Government Chief Whip Dr. Celestine Lyngdoh; and members Abu Taher Mondal, Subir Marak, Ollan Singh Suin, Dr. Mohammed Mizanur Rahman Kazi, Matthew Beyondstar Kurbah, Shri Mayralborn Syiem, Gavin Miguel Mylliem, Shri Renikton Lyngdoh Tongkhar, Gabriel Wahlang, Kyrmen Shylla, Banteidor Lyngdoh, Balajied Kupar Synrem, Charles Pyngrope and Alexander Laloo Hek.
Also present are Chief Secretary Dr. Shakil P. Ahammed, Dr. Sampath Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary and Vice-Chair of the Meghalaya Legislative Research Fellowship Project (MLRF); F.R.Kharkongor, M.R.Synrem, Cyril Diengdoh, Commissioner and Secretary, Parliamentary Affairs, and Officials associated with the programme include Malthus S Sangma, Secretary; Dr. Andrew Simons, Advisor (Legislation) amongst others.
The programme features specialised sessions led by academics, policy experts and experienced practitioners from leading British institutions. Discussions cover ethical decision-making in public policy, leadership, digital infrastructure, private capital, public communication, gender and governance, and innovative approaches to government.
As part of the programme, the delegation is scheduled to visit the Houses of Parliament at Westminster on November 11. The visit includes a parliamentary tour led by the House of Commons Doorkeepers, interactions with the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association (CPA), a dedicated session on the role of parliamentarians and an opportunity for legislators to observe Parliamentary Questions (PMQs) in person.
A policy dialogue titled Think Equal ECD Policy Dialogue will also be held at the House of Lords, focusing on early childhood development and policy engagement.
At Jesus College, Cambridge, participants will attend sessions on building alignment across government during fast-moving crises, the green transition as a pathway to prosperity, behavioral science and public policy, and leadership approaches to addressing development challenges.
An important component of the programme is its focus on Meghalaya-specific development priorities. Sessions include Everyman’s Economics: Democratising the Economy of Meghalaya, led by Dr. Antara Halder, and Adaptive Leadership for Facilitating Economic Growth in Meghalaya State in India, led by Professor Ronald Heifetz.
The programme will also feature interactions with distinguished experts, including Professor Jaideep Prabhu, Dr. Julian Huppert, Professor Louise Tillin, Dr. David Halpern and other leading academics and practitioners.
The eight-day engagement will conclude on November 14 with the presentation of certificates, photographs and a formal farewell at Jesus College, Cambridge.
Through this international engagement, Meghalaya’s legislators and officials are expected to gain valuable exposure to global governance practices, institutional leadership and innovative policy approaches, while exploring ways to adapt relevant learnings to the state’s developmental priorities.
The Speaker was invited and felicitated by Lord Uday Nagaraju, Member of the House of Lords, at the UK Parliament in London on November 9, as part of the ongoing State Legislators’ Leadership Excellence Programme.
The felicitation and interaction were attended by Sampath Kumar, Additional Chief Secretary and Vice-Chair of the Meghalaya Legislative Research Fellowship Project (MLRF); Cyril Diengdoh, Commissioner and Secretary, Parliamentary Affairs; Malthus S. Sangma, Secretary, Meghalaya Legislative Assembly; Dr. Andrew Simons, Adviser (Legislation); Aiban Swer, Director and Project Lead, MLRF; i Stephen Anurag, NISG Project Officer and Co-Lead, MLRF; and Dr. Julian Huppert, former Member of the UK Parliament and Director of the Intellectual Forum, Jesus College, Cambridge.
The engagement provided an opportunity for the Meghalaya delegation to interact with Lord Nagaraju and gain insights into the functioning of the UK Parliament, parliamentary traditions and the role of the House of Lords in the country’s legislative and policy-making processes.
Lord Uday Nagaraju, also known as Lord Nagaraju of Bloomsbury, is a British Labour Party politician, technology consultant and public policy expert who serves as a Life Peer in the House of Lords. His engagement with the Meghalaya delegation formed part of the broader international exchange aimed at strengthening parliamentary understanding and institutional cooperation.
