UESI Foundation Day

Praying for more Impact:

18 September 1954. It was on this historic day that UESI was founded as a God-inspired movement of ‘transformed students impacting campuses and the nation as disciples of the Lord Jesus Christ’. To me, as one privileged to see and work along with some of the pioneers and the early graduates and staff, I always marvel at their compelling vision for the nation. The whole map of India was engraved in their hearts as they planned and penned the Aims, Mission and Vision of UESI in the years that followed.

God has called UESI to raise a generation of leaders to impact the campuses and the nation. I want to emphatically say that if we succeed in this, the nation succeeds. “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl”. We are a ‘city on a hill’ that sheds its light on the students, campuses and the nation.

In March 2025, we had the UESI consultation in Bangalore to deliberate UESI’s journey further to India @ 2047 Through various presentations and discussions, we arrived at a draft form of 7 impact indicators and 7 enablers.

7 Impact Indicators:

1. NATION BUILDING

We see an exponential growth in the number of colleges and universities over the years. By 2047 India will have over 10 crore students. UESI has a noble mission to build the students as godly leaders to make India a developed nation.

2. MISSIONAL INSTITUTIONS

UESI, through graduates who imbibed the impact concern, has given birth to several mission institutions. and raised a large number of committed leaders. But to the emerging India, can we dream for more?

3. FAITH AND ACADEMIC INTEGRATION

Universities play a prominent and strategic role in building the nation’s culture, civilization and economy. Students who study various disciplines in universities should develop the capacity and analytical skills to drive local economies, support civil society, teach children, lead effective governments and make important decisions which affect the entire nation.

UESI Study Forums launched during our Diamond Jubilee will continue to be our focus in our EUs. Such a focus on the 3rd Aim, will also pave the way for our excellence in the other three aims as it happened during Prof. H. Enoch’s times when he engaged the campus with special attention to his field of Zoology.

4. WHOLISTIC EXCELLENCE

UESI’s pursuit of excellence should permeate to the seven mountains (Religion, Family, Education, Government, Media, Arts & Entertainment and Business) and take the initiative to build and soak these mountains with a Christ-like culture.

5. DOULOS SERVANTHOOD LEADERS

The UESI community has exemplifies Christ-like servanthood. While modified forms of “servant leadership” is common in society, it is important for us to recapture the Doulos-hearted Servanthood. ‘Leading with the towel’ will be the in-built value of UESI.

6. EMPOWERING WOMEN, TRIBALS, THE POOR AND THE VULNERABLE

UESI should continue to nurture Proverbs 31 families where women are empowered to involve and contribute to different aspects of society. We need to involve more women, tribals, the differently abled, the poor and the vulnerable in all our initiatives.

7. FAITH, FELLOWSHIP, AND LOVE

We should continue to excel in our faith, fellowship and love. Unity in love should guide us above all. Obeying the command of God—to love one another—is more important than merely fulfilling the commission of God. The impacts can be pursued only if we take the four aims of UESI seriously.

To the above 7 impact indicators of our aims, we also discussed 7 enablers: 1) University Connect; 2) Vibrant Student Leadership 3) Simple & Strong Governance; 4) Engagement through media and communication 5) Partnerships – Scaling through Synergies; 6) Stewardship – Raising & Managing Resources in faith and 7) Word for Worldview.

John Samuel, President, UESI