EPFO’s PDUNASS Organises Training on “Compassion in Governance” in Collaboration with Satyarthi Movement for Global Compassion

The Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya National Academy of Social Security (PDUNASS), Employees’ Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO), Ministry of Labour & Employment, in association with the Satyarthi Movement for Global Compassion (SMGC), organised a training programme on “Compassion in Governance.” The programme sought to equip public servants with the skills and mindset to blend compassion with efficiency in service delivery.

The event commenced with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp. Shri Kumar Rohit, Director PDUNASS, experts from SMGC and senior EPFO officers were present. Over 60 participants attended in person, while more than 100 participants joined virtually.

During the 17th edition of the Online Lecture Series of PDUNASS, titled “Re-Imagining Governance Discourse for Excellence (RGDE)”, Nobel Peace Laureate Shri Kailash Satyarthi had delivered the keynote address on the theme “Reimagining Compassionate Governance.” In the same event, Sh. Ramesh Krishnamurthi, the Central Provident Fund Commissioner of EPFO had urged upon the officers of EPFO to practice Compassion in day-to-day discharge of their duties. Building on this engagement, PDUNASS took the initiative to design a training course on Compassion in Governance. As a pilot project, it collaborated with SMGC for a one-day training program on Compassion in Governance for its probationers.

In his welcome remarks, Shri Kumar Rohit, Director PDUNASS highlighted that the essence of governance lies not only in implementing laws but also in understanding the people they serve. “Processes must be guided by compassion to ensure that governance is truly responsive to the needs of citizens,” he said.

Faculty from SMGC led by Ms. Diksha Chopra, Ms. Ishani Sachdeva, Mr. Shiv Kumar Sharma, Ms. Jahanara Rabia Raza and Ms. Ikanshi Khanna took engaging sessions on topics such as distinguishing between sympathy, empathy and compassion, mindful decision-making, active listening, and conflict resolution with compassion. The training incorporated case studies, role-play exercises, and reflective discussions, enabling participants to identify practical ways of integrating compassion into their daily work.

*****