About Tata Jagriti Yatra
The first Tata Jagriti Yatra took place between 24th December 2008 and 11th January 2009. The event was an immense success and plans are afoot to orginise the 2009 yatra. Whilst we develop our updated literature and information on the up and coming 2009 yatra, we invite you to continue reading about the purpose and goals that inspired us to launch Tata Jagriti Yatra in 2008...
Tata Jagriti Yatra '08 – Summary and Purpose
24th December 2008 - 11th January 2009
Tata Jagriti Yatra '08 is an annual train journey that will take 350 of India’s highly motivated youth (with some participation of international students) between the ages of 18-25 on a eighteen day national odyssey, introducing them to unsung heroes of India. The aim is to awaken the spirit of entrepreneurship - both social and economic - within India’s youth by exposing them to individuals and institutions that are developing unique solutions to India’s challenges. Through this national event we will inspire them to lead and develop institutions nationally and within their communities.
Youth are increasingly celebrity-conscious, while those Indians who have made lasting social and economic impact are often not visible as role models. Tata Jagriti Yatra '08 aims to showcase inspiring success stories by taking young Indians to meet these “real heroes”. These role models, located around the country particularly in rural and semi-urban India will demonstrate how social and economic enterprise has succeeded. We propose to engage the national media to act as a multiplier of this message by projecting it to the millions of Indians who will watch this journey unfold across the country, and become an annual event. With this we seek to awaken the aspiration of ‘being the change’ in the youth of India.
Tata Jagriti Yatra '08- Impact
Tata Jagriti Yatra '08 will have an immediate impact on the 350-odd participants in the Yatra. In addition we expect to have an applicant pool of over 5,000, and through formal and informal networks this will be extended to over 25,000 young Indians.
We propose to conduct 6 televised debates at key stops of the journey. With the help of a well known TV anchor, we expect to have 30 minutes program slots to discuss social and economic enterprise through a role model we have met at that stop. The teams for the debates will be selected from the 350 participants that will be judged by panel of experts with the anchor as a facilitator. We are in discussions with several National Channels for this telecast over the course of the journey.
At the locations where the train stops, we will engage local youth in our discussions as well as local and national press to spread the message of enterprise. We are looking at appropriate use of mobile networks to spread the message of the Yatra as well as use of our website (with updates from the train), a growing Facebook group, an active yahoo and mobile networking group. We have already got extensive coverage in Times of India, NDTV, IANS, Gulf News, and are pursuing partnerships with several regional print media. Our aim is to create an ongoing forum for message dissipation.
The train itself is a strong medium to spread the message of enterprise. We expect to create a documentary on the journey and are in discussions with production houses for creating a program which brings to life this unique national journey not only to Indian but also to an international audience. Prasoon Joshi (of the Taare Zameen Par fame) who was inspired by the spirit of the Yatra has produced our own song for the journey – Jagriti Geet. Please listen to it on our website www.jagritiyatra.com.
The Yatra has been tested 10 years ago by a similar train journey which visited various locations around India. The experiences from the 1997 event have been published as a book by Harper-Collins, titled “India - a journey through a healing civilization”. The book was launched in August 2007 by Shashank Mani, our current chairman and continues to give the Tata Jagriti Yatra '08 considerable publicity.
Tata Jagriti Yatra '08 – current status
We have already launched an active participation drive across wide cultural and lingual spectrum of India and begun engaging college communities through vernacular and national press, and radio, besides association with college festivals and entrepreneurship development cells.
Tata Jagriti Yatra '08 aims at having extensive impact. Raising awareness in college campuses is assisted by media campaigns with jingles, slogans and posters crafted to appeal not only to youth in metros but also in the vast non-english speaking heartland. There is also a reliance on SMS and mobile networks to reach beyond those who are not connected through internet.
Our rigorous selection process includes assessment of the candidates' demonstration of entrepreneurial spirit. Three independent judges of high merit including volunteer leadership consultants are doing this. Alongside, distinguished mentors from various fields will also be selected to come on board as facilitators, upon invitation by this distinguished panel. We also intend to attract eminent personalities and are honoured by the confirmation of participation of Dr. Kiran Bedi and Mark Tully. Dr Rajendra Pachauri has also extended his support to us in the past.
The Yatra organizational infrastructure includes an experienced non-executive advisory board, a professional executive team based in India and a motivated group of volunteers from around the world. The extended support network includes ex-Yatris, selected participants and partnering institutions including entrepreneurial institutions like CIIE – IIM Ahmedabad and School of Business and Entrepreneurship, University of Essex as well as IIT Alumni chapters.
Tata Jagriti Yatra '08 is a kernel for the development for a larger initiative – the Jagriti Enterprise Network (JEN). The JEN is a is proposed to be a network of institutions and relationships that provide training to start and scale up enterprises in rural and semi-urban areas. This idea is being developed by creating the first such institute near Gorakhpur/Deoria in Eastern UP, as a precursor to creating a network of 10 such institutes across the country over the next 10 years. The detailed business plan of JEN is available on request.
Tata Jagriti Yatra '08 is being organized under the aegis of Jagriti Sewa Sansthan, an NGO dedicated to youth and women vocational and enterprise training. Any contributions to Tata Jagriti Yatra '08 will be tax deductable under the 80G provisions of the Income tax act.
Tata Jagriti Yatra '08 – Partnership Opportunities
Tata Jagriti Yatra '08 is actively seeking support from individuals, trusts and corporate houses interested in youth development. The unique concept of an annual national journey has a massive appeal to all age groups and creates a significant opportunity for national branding. For Trusts, we are offering a partnership with a vehicle that will deliver long-term impact of change through the execution of the Jagriti Enterprise Network.
Tata Jagriti Yatra ‘08
On 13 August 2008, Tata Sons Ltd announced its decision to become the Lead Sponsor to Tata Jagriti Yatra ‘08. The new name of the Yatra was declared as Tata Jagriti Yatra ‘08. With majority of its operational funding in place and backing from one of the leading socially conscious companies in India, Tata Jagriti Yatra ‘08 is on firm footing to inspire the spirit of entrepreneurship amidst Indian Youth.
