HYDERABAD, FEBRUARY 16, 2026: The National Institute of Agricultural Extension Management (MANAGE) officially commenced a five-day Management Development Programme (MDP) titled “LEAD NXT: Leadership Beyond Today” for senior leaders/professionals from Shriram Farm Solutions (SFS), a company with strategic business units in agri-inputs, sugar, cement, and PVC Resins.
The programme aims to equip participants with advanced leadership and strategic management skills tailored for the evolving agri-business landscape. The inaugural session featured keynote addresses from both MANAGE and SFS, emphasising the critical role of human capital in driving organisational success.
Dr M. Srikanth, Director (ABM) and Course Director, delivered the inaugural address and congratulated the participants for being nominated for the esteemed programme, which aims to maintain the company’s competitive edge and operational excellence in their respective domains. He is of the view that the trainees today from SFS will lead the company in ten years.
Essentially, Mr Srikanth advised the participants to make the best use of the MDP by engaging in intellectual discussions, in addition to the latest books on agri-business management.
While addressing the participants, Mr. Sanjay Chhabra, Executive Director & Business Head of Shriram Farm Solutions, reinforced that the “scientific rationale” used to handpick these 20 high-potential employees for the MDP (20 out of 125 Managers). He described the programme as a form of “intellectual nudging” and challenged the participants to take full “ownership” of their professional growth, moving towards initiative-driven thinking and active engagement in every classroom-discussion of the MDP. Mr. Chhabra stated that the latent potential performance/skills of the participants may be leveraged through MDP and translated into tangible actualization of their performance in the field during the next 5 years.
Complementing this vision, Mr. Mahadev Suvarna, Senior VP – Speciality Plant Nutrition at Shriram Farm Solutions, remarked that the participants are fortunate to be nominated to an MDP conducted by a premier training institute like MANAGE. He
emphasized that as the industry navigates through digital transformation, the insights gained must be translated into field level implementation to prepare the next generation of future leaders.
Delivering his keynote address, Dr. Sagar Hanuman Singh, IPoS, Director General of MANAGE, underscored the significance of the programme by drawing a direct analogy to the stringent and merit-based selection processes implemented by the Defence. He noted that the rigorous screening of these specific participants reflects a conscious corporate investment in human capital, urging the cohort to utilize the MDP effectively for both their individual betterment and the long-term advancement of the company.
Providing a data-driven foundation for the week, the comprehensive curriculum scheduled for the week includes intensive modules on dealer and channel management, analysis of financial statements, and digital marketing strategies involving AI, ML, IoT, etc. With resource persons drawn from elite institutions, the programme aims at fostering high-impact leadership through emotional intelligence and effective negotiation. The session concluded with a call to action for all participants to leverage the resources to drive synergy and innovation within Shriram Farm Solutions to reach the next level in the Agri-business domain.
