Sustainable leadership in primary education is essential for fostering long-term educational success and holistic student development. However, limited research has examined how primary school teachers in Bengaluru, India, perceive and apply sustainable leadership in their professional contexts. This study employs a qualitative research design to explore teachers’ perspectives through open-ended questionnaires, with responses analysed using thematic analysis to identify recurring themes and patterns. The findings reveal that teachers view sustainable leadership as extending beyond classroom performance to encompass continuous professional growth, ethical leadership, staff empowerment, and inclusive decision-making. Additionally, leadership succession emerges as a key challenge in sustaining educational progress. The study provides practical implications for school leadership by emphasizing the need for structured professional development programs, effective succession planning, and enhanced collaboration among educational stakeholders. These insights contribute to the broader discourse on sustainable leadership while aligning with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) along with India’s National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 particularly SDG 4 (Quality Education) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). which emphasizes on teacher training, leadership development, and sustainable education practices. By addressing a gap in the literature, this study presents valuable insights into the role of sustainable leadership in the Indian primary education system and its implications for long-term educational resilience and development.