Bangalore, April 12
Three well-known women politicians, who have more often than not courted controversy, are on their way to becoming role models in a training course for women leaders at the IIM here.

Jayalalithaa and Mayawati, heavyweight women politicians facing charges of wealth disproportionate to their known sources of income, and the mercurial Mamata Banerjee will be among the role models projected in the programme.

“We shall be focusing on various aspects of leadership. Mamata Banerjee, Jayalalithaa and Mayawati are going to be the role models for certain aspects of leadership. We shall be meeting them too,” Rajeev Gowda, professor at the Centre for Public Policy (CPP) said.

UPA chief Sonia Gandhi and firebrand CPM leader Brinda Karat are the two other women politicians who will be studied by the participants. Eyebrows are not likely to be raised with regard to role-models status for the two politicians, as they enjoy a more sober image compared to the three regional czarinas. The ‘India-Women in Leadership’ programme aims to equip aspiring women leaders with the requisite skills, knowledge and expertise in governance needed to engage effectively in electoral politics and to pursue policies that matter most to them.

The programme is being jointly organized by the New Delhi-based Centre for Social Research (CSR) and Centre for Public Policy at IIM, Bangalore. It will consist of an intensive six-week programme at IIM-B, a one week study tour in Singapore and a week in New Delhi.