Everyone A Changemaker

Jasmeen Patheja is the founder of Blank Noise. Jasmeen was born and raised in Kolkata. Her family, traditional Punjabi business people migrated from Burma in the 1960s. Jasmeen attended one of the city’s best schools, but was always told she should prepare to be married by the time she turned twenty-one. Jasmeen always had the urge to use her creativity to make a difference. After studying psychology, Jasmeen was admitted to the esteemed Srishti School of Art Design and Technology in Bangalore. Wherever she went, she was haunted by the experience of being harassed on the streets, even as a young girl wearing her school uniform. In Bangalore, she knew her peers at the Srishti School had experienced similar sexual harassment. 

During her time in college, Jasmeen found ways to express her fundamental belief that an artist should engage directly in the process of social transformation. With her interest in the dynamics between the artist and the audience and public artwork, she produced Blank Noise as her final project for a course on communications for social change. 

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:

●       The state of Defenselessness of the body is our birthright

●       Defenselessness is a positive thing

●       Be in our power everywhere not just in public spaces

●       Building a committed community to intervene and be responsible in safeguarding women

●       Creating a safe space for survivors to be heard

Subscribe To Everyone A Changemaker

●   Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2WXoA5uYcYUtiu0KO8AQm6

●   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ashoka

●   Website: https://www.ashoka.org/en-in

QUOTE: “If everyone takes up the responsibility of caring for and protecting one another, while refusing to tolerate sexual violence and being unapologetic about it, our country and the world would be a safer place to live in.”

Parag Mankeekar is the founder of RealLives Foundation. Parag, a doctor in a rural village near Pune, transitioned from individual patient care to addressing broader public health issues. He created a comprehensive health education system to bridge the gap between social behavior and medical treatment. As a hospital administrator, he resolved disputes, revitalized the institution, and prioritized public health. After experiencing the Gujarat earthquake, Parag recognized the need for disaster education among young people and founded a non-profit organization to organize camps and develop educational games.

Parag's approach involves utilizing schools, government agencies, and young individuals to spread awareness about disaster preparedness. Through curricula, disaster camps, and simulation games, information on personal safety and community responsibility is effectively reinforced. This multi-pronged approach ensures that the knowledge is retained by children and also shared with older family members and the broader community.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:

●       Travelled all over India on a scooter to experience other people’s lives

●       Industrial Revolution killed the ability and creativity of humans

●       Find inspiration in the stories of others, but ultimately forge your own unique story

●       Teach about humanity and real life experiences in schools

●       Incorporating educational elements within games

●       If life is a game, then only games can really teach you about life

Subscribe To Everyone A Changemaker

●   Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2WXoA5uYcYUtiu0KO8AQm6

●   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ashoka

●   Website: https://www.ashoka.org/en-in

QUOTE: “If we consider life as a game, then it is through games that we can truly learn about life's challenges, including issues like climate change, and the multitude of experiences we encounter in the world.”

 Shannon Olsson is the founder of The Echo Network. Shannon, originally from rural New York, has spent 22 years listening to nature and building sustainable communities in India. With a Ph.D from Cornell University and experience at the Max Planck Institute and National Centre for Biological Sciences, she combines her scientific expertise with non-science sectors to create impactful change globally.

As a chemical ecologist with over two decades of experience, she is a sought-after science consultant, sustainability advisor, and global speaker. Shannon works with organizations, companies, institutes, and governments worldwide to integrate empathetic science into their sustainability planning and climate action initiatives.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:

●       Achieving sustainability by bringing different sectors together

●       Sustainability cannot be achieved through shortcuts

●       Sustainability balances reducing consumption with uplifting communities

●       Building a community of experts who generously share ideas and resources

●       CHANGE scares everybody

Subscribe To Everyone A Changemaker

●   Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2WXoA5uYcYUtiu0KO8AQm6

●   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ashoka

●   Website: https://www.ashoka.org/en-in

QUOTE: “Sustainability involves uplifting communities in need while also reducing consumption. It is about finding a balance where both ends can be met simultaneously.”

Beena Chintalapuri is a founder of Internet Freedom Foundation.  With expertise in cognitive psychology, historical and cultural personality types in India, and applied behavior modification, Dr. Beena has identified triggers, responses, and error patterns to correct them through behavior modification.

Dr. Beena is transforming the perception of prisoners from being seen as a liability and outcasts within the prison system, to becoming a group of skilled professionals who can apply the principles of cognitive psychology to solve some of the most intricate issues facing the prison industry.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:

●       Inmates were returning with a new crime

●       Prisoners require training more than therapy

●       Developing their mindset more than their skills through training

●       Education on how to reintegrate into mainstream society upon release

●       Trained ex-inmates are inspirational and have a compelling testimony

Subscribe To Everyone A Changemaker

●   Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2WXoA5uYcYUtiu0KO8AQm6

●   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ashoka

●   Website: https://www.ashoka.org/en-in

QUOTE: “Prisoners don't have to face inhumane living conditions in the prison. Treating them with genuineness and respect and educating them on the consequences of criminal behaviour can change the course of their lives.”

Apar Gupta is a founder of Internet Freedom Foundation.  Apar grew up in an upper-middle-class family in New Delhi. During his schooling years, Apar had two major interests that started to define the later years of his life, literature and technology. Apar's inclination towards social sciences led him to pursue Law, which not only aligned with his personal interests but also fulfilled his family's desire for a secure degree with promising career opportunities. After graduating from college, Apar first took the route of law practice, where he worked at a number of leading firms while also establishing his own.

Apar believes that by engaging regulators, courts, and legislative bodies to transform grassroots campaigns into civic action for digital rights, he will be able to protect the constitutional liberties of vulnerable populations in India who are at risk and strives to advance human freedom in the digital age for all Indians.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:

●       Indian telecom companies currently rely heavily on revenue generated from data services 

●       Digital divide exists in India

●       Net neutrality

●       Governance frameworks, safeguards, and institutional processes required to analyze effects of technology implementation

Subscribe To Everyone A Changemaker

●   Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2WXoA5uYcYUtiu0KO8AQm6

●   YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ashoka

●   Website: https://www.ashoka.org/en-in

QUOTE: “As internet access continues to grow in India, public-led digital rights advocacy is crucial for ensuring accountability and protection of fundamental rights.”

TITLE: Improving Water Quality Through Communities w/Sunderrajan Krishnan

Sunderrajan Krishnan is the founder of INREM Foundation. He has a B.Tech in Civil Engineering from IIT Bombay and a PhD in Geological and Environmental Sciences from Stanford University. He has been a member of Indian Planning Commission 12th five-year plan working groups for ‘Sustainable Groundwater Management’ and ‘Water Database Development and Management’. Dr Krishnan’s work has mainly been in the two areas of Water harvesting and groundwater management, and in Water quality and health.

Sunderrajan believes that implementing a comprehensive strategy to tackle water issues in communities facing significant impacts can lead to upliftment and improvement in the societies, ultimately resulting in positive changes in their way of life.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:

● People's livelihoods depends on water

● Water contamination is not easily detectable by our senses

● Reverse osmosis is a savior as well as a problem

● Unfortunately, the market puts its attention where the money is

● Make space for others to come in and make a greater impact together

Subscribe To Everyone A Changemaker

● Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2WXoA5uYcYUtiu0KO8AQm6

● YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ashoka

● Website: https://www.ashoka.org/en-in

QUOTE: “Climate change threatens water systems with trillions in damages, and urgent action is needed. We need to join our hands to bring in climate adaptation and promote water problem awareness.”

Nikita Ketkar is the founder of Masoom Education. Nikita is a postgraduate in Political Science from Mumbai University who successfully cleared the UPSC exam in 1996 and went on to join the Armed Forces Civil Services. After serving as a bureaucrat for a couple of years, she realized that she was not content with dealing solely with files and rules. She began volunteering for various organizations and, in 2001, stumbled upon night schools while working on a project related to domestic help for an NGO during their deputation with the NCC Directorate.

The discovery that working students attended night schools to pass the 10th grade without basic resources like textbooks and science labs led her to make the decision to provide these students with the best education possible. Masoom developed a three-pronged model to provide the students with high-quality education.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:

●  Night School students are self-motivated

●  Night schools are not visible by the society and policymakers alike

●  Our work speaks louder than our mouth

●  Improvement in passing percentage of Board exams

●  Joint effort will make bigger impact

Subscribe To Everyone A Changemaker

●  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2WXoA5uYcYUtiu0KO8AQm6

●  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ashoka

●  Website: https://www.ashoka.org/en-in

QUOTE: “We need to build more platforms for youths coming from marginalized Indian society who are invincible to the society as well as policymakers, to help them achieve their dreams of success and create a better future.”

Anil Kumar Verma is a founder of PRAN. Anil proposed organic farming using the system of root intensification to a village in Bihar, but no one wanted to try it except for Kunti Devi. She succeeded in growing rice and inspired other women in her village and neighboring villages to try organic farming. Anil founded PRAN, a nonprofit that works with women farmers using the SRI technique. Women farmers are more inclusive in their thinking and when they earn, their social status increases, giving them a say in family and village matters. Anil has seen women farmers take up panchayat leadership and break taboos around menstruation to enter temples.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:

●  Anil persisted despite the discouragement by the villagers

●  The impact was noticed by the entire community

●  Women farmers have taken the initiative and had an impact in their community

Subscribe To Everyone A Changemaker

●  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2WXoA5uYcYUtiu0KO8AQm6

●  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ashoka

●  Website: https://www.ashoka.org/en-in

QUOTE: “The social status of women in rural India increases when they start earning, giving them a voice in family and village affairs”.

Christopher Turillo is the co-founder of Medha, a youth-centric organisation based in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh. Chris co-founded Medha in Lucknow in 2011 to shape the future of the school-to-work transition by bringing a combination of 21st-Century skills education, workplace engagement, and alumni networks to government education systems. Medha is working with state governments to implement their career readiness programs in all colleges, through training government trainers and increasing investment in career counseling. Over the past decade, Medha has improved employment, employability, and life skills for more than 85,000 students across 600 educational institutions in some of the most under-resourced states in India.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:

●  Developing transferable abilities that will be necessary for future job prospects

●  Experiential learning gives students practical experiences to enhance their abilities

●  Partnering with government has facilitated the amplification of the impact on young people

●  Scaling vs Impact

●  Choosing a career which you are passionate about will eventually bring an impact

Subscribe To Everyone A Changemaker

●  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2WXoA5uYcYUtiu0KO8AQm6

●  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ashoka

●  Website: https://www.ashoka.org/en-in

QUOTE: “The focus on technical skill development in India must not overlook the importance of soft skills in the workforce. By institutionalizing career mentoring, employment exposure, and skill development in colleges, students will be more prepared for life.”

Rajesh Trivedi is a founder of Alert. Rajesh's diverse background and strong academic foundation have equipped him with the skills necessary to drive complex IT transformations. With a passion for creating positive impact, Rajesh has a deep commitment to using technology for the betterment of society. He continues to seek out new challenges and opportunities to make a difference in the world through his work.

Rajesh's commitment to making a difference in the world led him to leave his corporate career and dedicate himself full-time to ALERT. ALERT is creating a community of individuals who are equipped with the knowledge and skills necessary to respond in emergency situations. Rajesh believes that by making first response training accessible and easy to understand, more people will be prepared to help in times of need. Through hands-on, practical training, ALERT aims to empower individuals to act as Good Samaritans and make a difference in their communities.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU WILL LEARN:

●  At least one member in the family trained as a Good Samaritan.

●  Leverage technology to bring impact through the next generation

●  Empowering every common man to save lives in emergency

●  ALERT curriculum must be standardized across educational institutes of India

●  ADVICE TO BUDDING ENTREPRENEURS: Stay focused on your goal of impacting the society

Subscribe To Everyone A Changemaker

●  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2WXoA5uYcYUtiu0KO8AQm6

●  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/ashoka

●  Website: https://www.ashoka.org/en-in

QUOTE: “Despite being a country where pizza delivery is quicker than ambulance response, it is crucial for citizens like us to learn life-saving skills and be prepared for emergency situations.”