Mahakumbh 2025: Future Leaders Must Learn From India’s Oldest Gathering, Writes Gautam Adani

The Kumbh Mela at Prayagraj offers key lessons in leadership, sustainability, and large-scale organisation as the event demonstrates how traditional wisdom can guide modern governance and business strategy.

That's according to Adani Group Founder Gautam Adani, who believes the Kumbh is a model for managing scale with purpose, integrating sustainability, and fostering leadership through service. He said future leaders must study its principles to build resilient organisations and drive long-term development.

“True leadership lies not in giving orders but in the ability to take everyone along,” Adani wrote in a LinkedIn post.

He said the Kumbh’s structure, where various groups collaborate without a central command, highlights India’s strength in self-organised leadership and sustainable management.

Every 12 years, a temporary city larger than New York emerges on the banks of sacred rivers, operating smoothly without conventional corporate structures. Adani pointed to this as an example of scaling with purpose, where large gatherings function efficiently through collaboration and service.

“The larger it grows, the more efficient it becomes, not just materially but in human and humanity terms. True scale is not measured in metrics but in the moments of unity it creates,” he said. 

He noted that businesses should adopt similar principles, ensuring growth is aligned with purpose and long-term impact rather than just expansion. The Kumbh’s ability to manage such scale while retaining its essence, he said, is a model that corporate leaders should study. 

The Kumbh Mela follows circular economy principles, ensuring that the river, which hosts millions, returns to its natural state after the event. Adani said this reflects an approach to sustainability that predates modern corporate frameworks like ESG. 

“A river is not just a source of water but the flow of life. Preserving it is a testament to our ancient wisdom,” he said.

He said this approach highlights the importance of integrating sustainability into modern development. Future leaders, he added, must focus on long-term environmental responsibility rather than short-term resource use. 

Adani said leadership must balance tradition with innovation, just as the Kumbh Mela adapts over time while maintaining its core principles. He highlighted the event’s ability to blend spiritual traditions with modern logistical management.

He said businesses should focus on long-term impact over immediate profits, creating organisations designed to last. “Great leaders do not command or control – they create conditions for others to work together and collectively rise,” he said. 

According to Adani, companies should prioritise building ecosystems that serve a larger purpose, ensuring growth is sustainable and inclusive. 

Adani said India's journey towards becoming a $10 trillion economy must incorporate the principles demonstrated at the Kumbh Mela. He emphasised that growth should be measured not just in economic terms but also in societal impact.

“Our strength lies not just in what we build, but in what we preserve,” he said.

He added that the Kumbh reflects India's unique approach to leadership, where progress is rooted in service, collaboration, and sustainability. He said future leaders must embrace these values to ensure long-term national development.