Governance today is increasingly complex. The problems before a public representative rarely belong to one discipline. In these changing times, leaders with the curiosity to keep learning come as a breath of fresh air. It is something worth admiring when a sitting MP chooses to return to the classroom, it showcases a spirit of learning and a belief that learning must never stop.
Dr Shrikant Shinde’s journey has taken him from earning an MBBS and MS (Orthopaedics) from Dr. D. Y. Patil Medical College, Hospital & Research Centre to entering public life as a Member of Parliament from Kalyan for three successive terms. Now, while continuing his responsibilities as a parliamentarian, he has begun pursuing an MBA at the London School of Economics (LSE). He has described himself not just as an MP from Kalyan, but as a student first.
There is something significant in that mindset. When leaders do not carry the arrogance of ‘knowing it all’, governance becomes a process of continuous learning. The willingness to learn, unlearn, and learn again allows leaders to look at problems from a holistic point of view. Healthcare, economics, technology, education, and urban development are not isolated compartments in governance, they interact with one another. A leader who keeps learning is better equipped to understand these intersections.
A continuous process
A leader with an understanding of economics can better appreciate fiscal constraints, public expenditure, and the long-term sustainability of welfare programmes. A leader who understands technology and data can see how digital systems, AI, and data-driven administration can improve everything from service delivery to urban planning.
Public policy is about learning as a continuous process. Technology is constantly changing, economies are evolving and so are the challenges. Cybercrime, for instance, is a relatively new menace that governments have had to grapple with. To understand and to respond to these emerging challenges, leaders need the aptitude and willingness to learn.
Maharashtra itself has examples of how the intersection of disciplines can strengthen governance. Shrikar Pardeshi, a Maharashtra-cadre IAS officer, studied public administration at Harvard Kennedy School and public health at Johns Hopkins University. He later used technology to make civic administration more responsive through initiatives like the Smart Sarathi grievance platform in Pimpri-Chinchwad. Similarly, Pune Municipal Commissioner Kunal Kumar drew on his training at the National University of Singapore and Harvard Kennedy School to explore global models of open data and citizen engagement from cities such as London and Singapore, adapting them to Indian realities.
Continuing education and exposure to global practices is relatively familiar among administrators, where professional learning is an established part of their careers. It is less common to see an elected representative step into formal education while continuing to hold office and carry out their political responsibilities. That makes the decision of a sitting MP to return to the classroom an interesting reflection of a changing approach to public leadership.
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Thinking outside the box
The LSE programme itself brings together strategy, finance, leadership, innovation, and interaction between business, policy, and global affairs. It is structured as a programme that allows experienced professionals to continue their work alongside studies. So, Dr Shrikant Shinde is not stepping away from politics to study. He is rather adding another discipline to an existing professional and political experience.
That approach to learning also finds expression in the way development is being imagined for Kalyan. The proposed double-decker metro model, with roads at the lower level, a flyover above, and the metro at the highest level, reflects an attempt to address multiple urban mobility needs with limited space. It is an example of thinking beyond conventional infrastructure solutions and looking at how different layers of a city’s transport network can work together.
Similarly, the joint solid waste management project involving Ulhasnagar, Ambernath, and Badlapur municipal administrations reflects a regional approach to a problem that doesn’t end at municipal boundaries.
Dr Shinde’s parliamentary record also provides context. According to PRS Legislative Research, during the 18th Lok Sabha up to 13 August 2026, the MP recorded 82 per cent attendance, participated in 37 debates, and asked 257 questions, ranging from railways and highways to education, health, and National Credit Framework.
A political position can be held for a term; the habit of learning has to be maintained for a lifetime. Indian politics is changing alongside India itself. The challenges before elected representatives increasingly extend across economics, technology, global markets; political experience remains important, but so does willingness to understand new fields.
Perhaps the more meaningful takeaway from a politician returning to university isn’t that one should have all the answers, but that one must also have the curiosity to keep asking better questions.
The author is the national secretary and spokesperson of the Shiv Sena. She tweets @ShainaNC. Views are personal.
(Edited by Aamaan Alam Khan)