Partnership Overview

On 13 July 2026, XLRI Leadership Education and Development (XLEAD), the executive education arm of XLRI – Xavier School of Management, and Dale Carnegie India announced a strategic partnership formalised through a Memorandum of Understanding. The agreement commits both institutions to co‑design and co‑deliver a suite of behavioural and leadership development programmes for Indian professionals and executives.

Objectives and Programme Scope

The joint curriculum will cover business communication, executive presence, influencing and persuasion, business storytelling, executive coaching, presentation effectiveness and public speaking. Delivery formats will include in‑person sessions, live online classes and blended models, making the programmes accessible to XLRI’s management students, executive education participants and other learners across the country.

Institutional Strengths

XLRI, founded in 1949, is India’s oldest business school and holds the elite international triple‑crown accreditation, placing it among roughly 150 globally accredited institutions. Its XLEAD arm brings decades of academic rigour, research depth and credibility in Indian management education.

Dale Carnegie India operates as the exclusive master franchisee of Dale Carnegie Training in India and is a division of Walchand PeopleFirst Ltd. The Dale Carnegie brand boasts a century‑old global legacy, having empowered more than 10 million people across 86 countries. In India, Dale Carnegie Training has served over 8,500 corporate clients and developed more than 700,000 professionals across industries, including more than 400 Fortune 500 companies. Its CSR arm, Walchand Plus, was established in 2015 to provide skilling, training and consulting services to underserved communities.

Leadership Commentary

Fr. Sebastian George, S.J., Director of XLRI, stated that competence without character is incomplete and that the partnership aligns with XLRI’s belief that education must form the whole person, preparing graduates for a labour market that rewards clear thinking, empathetic communication and integrity. Pallavi Jha, Chairperson and Managing Director of Dale Carnegie India, highlighted that the collaboration brings a historic moment for the industry, emphasizing that behavioural excellence and leadership capability will be key career accelerators in the years ahead.

Expected Outcomes

The collaboration aims to create a leadership pipeline measured by tangible outcomes: graduates who are better communicators, more confident decision‑makers and managers capable of translating strategy into execution. By embedding world‑class behavioural training into management education, the partnership seeks to equip a new generation of leaders with the human skills essential for success in an increasingly AI‑enabled, fast‑changing business environment.

Media Contacts

  • Dale Carnegie India / Walchand PeopleFirst Ltd.: Mohini Jha, AVP – Brand and Talent, +91 96197 20497
  • XLRI: Dr. Santosh Sangem, Faculty of Finance, +91 97713 27518

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