Jagriti Yatra is a 15-day long, national train journey that will take role models, change-makers and leaders 8000 kilometers across the length and breadth of India, to understand and improve India’s smaller towns and villages through enterprise.
Jagriti focuses on the seven verticals of development:
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- Agriculture
- Education
- Energy
- Healthcare
- Manufacturing
- Water & Sanitation
- Arts & Culture & Sports
Origins of Jagriti Yatra
In 1997, Jagriti Yatra’s chairman Shashank Mani organised the Azad Bharat Rail Yatra to mark 50 years of India’s independence. The journey was transformational. It led to the book ‘India, A Journey through a Healing Civilization‘ by Shashank Mani, which was published by Harper Collins in 2007.
The book inspired the rebirth of the Yatra. Jagriti Yatra board members, Raj Krishnamurthy and Rewati Prabhu joined Shashank Mani in creating and launching the Jagriti Yatra, with an ambitious new agenda of Enterprise-led-development. Gitanjali Bhattacharya and Swapnil Dixit were the first executives of Jagriti Yatra.
Today, Jagriti Yatra continues to be supported by a variety of companies, trusts and individuals, including Dell, Google, Coca-Cola, and Cairn India.
Registration
The chances of your selection are higher if you submit your application early because selection of the candidates happens every month on a regular basis.
A list of selected candidates is published on the website. Every month (April onwards) 40-50 candidates will be selected and added to this list.
Selection Procedure
To select a Yatri, the selection team does not look at exam-results; rather they consider abilities, motivations and values of the candidate. They consider the candidates’ understanding of India’s pressing problems and the commitment and approach to solving these.
The selection teams aim for equal representation among male-female candidates. The cohort includes up to 40 exceptional international candidates to join local candidates on the program.
Yatri Selection Composition
Yatris selected for the Yatra can either be a ‘Participant’ or a ‘Facilitator’.
Participant
Participants are young candidates in the age group of 20-27 who want to ‘be the change they want to see’ and have the potential to become entrepreneurs and change-makers.
Facilitator (must be fluent in either English or Hindi)
Facilitators are experienced professionals, over 25 years of age, who are keen to join the movement for Enterprise-led development. They may be entrepreneurs, aspiring entrepreneurs or other professionals.
A facilitator plays the dual role of a mentor and coordinator during the Yatra and is assigned a cohort of 6-10 participants to:
- Support the participants to make the most of the Yatra by managing individual and collaborative learning
- Manage the cohort throughout the journey as per the Yatra Mantra (Code of Conduct)
- Act as a bridge between the participants and the organiSing team
How to apply?
Interested candidates may apply online by filling up the main application form (preferred) or by sending the fully filled application form by post (download here).
The application consists of a series of essay questions designed to ascertain your suitability for the Yatra. It is a subjective evaluation of the raw entrepreneurial potential within a candidate by a selection panel of more than global 30 experts. Random interviews and reference checks are also conducted to ascertain the veracity of candidature.
Facilitators’ applications are further evaluated on their professional experience and ability to communicate, coordinate and manage youth. This is usually done through additional information in the form and an informal telephonic interview.
Once your application is selected, further financial details are required if you’re seeking sponsorship, to help us identify deserving candidates.
Fee structure
There are no fees for applying for the Yatra. The relevant Yatra fees are applicable only if you’re selected.
Successfully selected international Yatris need to pay an all inclusive $1,500 USD or 900 GBP as Yatra fees and are responsible for their travel to Mumbai.
If you have more questions about the program, see if it is already answered on the FAQ page, or send your query by email.