The debut edition of the Sanawar Success Summit 2026, organised by The Old Sanawarian Society (OSS)—the alumni association of The Lawrence School, Sanawar—was held on February 7 in New Delhi and brought together exceptional minds for a day of high-impact conversations, insights, and inspiration. The Summit stood out for the depth and diversity of its discourse, featuring thought-provoking discussions on education, leadership, the future of work, youth mentorship, governance, and the intersection of creativity with institution-building.
The Old Sanawarian Society (OSS) is the alumni association of The Lawrence School, Sanawar, the oldest co-educational residential school in India, founded in 1847 and consistently ranked among the country’s finest institutions. Founded in 1914 by Rev. George Dunsford Barne, CIE, OBE (Principal, 1912–1932), the OSS has grown exponentially and today boasts approximately 6,000 life members.
Sanjay Kumar, Secretary, Department of School Education and Literacy, Ministry of Education, Government of India, and Chairman of the Board of Governors of the school in his official capacity, was the Chief Guest at the event. In his keynote address, Mr Kumar emphasised the urgent need for the country to become better organised and accelerate progress, noting that the coming years present India’s last significant opportunity to reap the benefits of its demographic advantage. “If we don’t get it right, we’ll miss the bus,” he remarked. He praised Sanawarians for nurturing fearless and capable students, recalling Second Lieutenant Arun Khetarpal, PVC—the national hero of the 1971 Indo-Pak War’s Battle of Basantar. He also called upon those in positions of influence to give back to society.
The Summit commenced with a warm and elegant Chhota Hazari, setting the tone for the day, followed by the ceremonial lighting of the lamp by members of the Board of Governors of the Sanawar Society. The formal proceedings opened with a welcome address by Pankaj Sapru, Immediate Past President, OSS, followed by a keynote by Vipin Sondhi, former MD & CEO of Ashok Leyland and former Chairman of JCB India and TAFE. This was followed by remarks from the Chief Guest, Sanjay Kumar, IAS.
The Summit witnessed an energetic and impactful start with Gaurav Bhagat, a distinguished Sanawarian alumnus, emcee of the programme, and Founder and Managing Director of Consortium Gifts. A leading skill-training expert and prominent name in the business world, Bhagat set the momentum with his engaging presence and insightful observations.
The first panel featured an eminent line-up of speakers, including Vandana Mohan, Founder & Director, The Wedding Design Company; Armeet Sandhu, Managing Partner, MSB Docs and former CEO of Stoneware Systems Inc.; Ajeet Bajaj, Padma Shri awardee, renowned mountaineer and Managing Director, Snow Leopard Adventures; noted agripreneur Jang Bahadur Singh Sangha, widely recognised as the “Potato King of India”; and Dushyant Chautala, Deputy Chief Minister of Haryana (2019–2024).
Subsequent sessions throughout the day featured an extraordinary roster of speakers spanning defence, diplomacy, policy, business, academia, healthcare, technology, sustainability, and the arts. These included Lt Gen Ajai Singh, former Commander-in-Chief, Andaman & Nicobar Command and Independent Director, DLF Ltd; Yashish Dhaiya, Founder & Group CEO, Policybazaar; critically acclaimed Bollywood costume designer and National Film Award winner Niharika Bhasin; Dr Tarun Batra, Cancer Surgeon and Associate Professor, Banaras Hindu University; Rajeev Ahal, Director, Natural Resource Management & Agroecology, GIZ India; Taranjit Sandhu, diplomat and former Ambassador of India to the United States and High Commissioner to Sri Lanka; Shaila Brijnath, Founder & Chairperson, Aasraa Trust; Arun Maira, former Member, Planning Commission of India; Akshay Dalal, Head of Regional Risk, Compliance and Ethics, Google (Middle East, Turkey & Africa); Gaurav Raina, Professor, IIT Madras and Research Fellow, University of Cambridge; Ruby Garg, Director, Indus Group; Surbhi Garg, Joint Commissioner of Income Tax; Vivek Mehra, Senior Partner, PwC (Retd.) and Director on the boards of HT, DLF, Vaillant Pharma and Chambal Fertilisers; and Dr Jyotsna Suri, Chairperson & Managing Director, The Lalit Suri Hospitality Group.
The organisers acknowledged the sponsorship support of DKG Landcorp, Mohali, and thanked its Directors, Mr Mohit Gupta and Mr Lakshay Gupta, for their invaluable contribution to the successful organisation of the Sanawar Success Summit 2026.
