JRD Tata dreamed of an India that would give all its citizens equal access to the basic necessities – food, water, shelter, education – and a socialand cultural milieu that made life meaningful. A dream that continues

to inspire and guide the Tata group in all its various initiatives aimed at developing India and enabling the youth of India to realise this dream of ahappy country.

Which is why, when the Jagriti Sewa Sansthan approached the Tata groupwith the innovative idea of a jagriti yatra (a ‘journey of awareness’), theidea soon became a reality.

That was in 2008. Since then, the Tata Jagriti Yatra (TJY) has seen nearly 1,200young men and women set out on an annual inspirational odyssey across India; a journey often described by the people who have undertaken it as a journey thatnever ends. TJY opens up the yatris’ (travellers) minds to the many small miracles being created by social entrepreneurs, men and women of great grit and passion, in remote parts of the country. It brings them close to a world wherethe passion to serve society fuses with the spirit of entrepreneurship to build self-reliant and confident communities and inspires them to become votaries of udhyam janit vikas or enterprise-led development.

A country with a thousand faces

‘‘ ‘‘I do not want India to be an

economic superpower. I want Indiato be a happy country.

— JRD Tata after receiving the Bharat Ratna award in 1992

TATA JAGRITI YATRA6

At the heart of the journey is a firm conviction in the entrepreneurial model ofdevelopment and a strong belief that growth can be inclusive. The yatra is anattempt at inspiring and encouraging potential social entrepreneurs in thehope that, after seeing how social enterprises can work wonders, these youngmen and women will set up profitable projects that will create employmentand sustainable models of development for the less privileged people of India.

There have been three Tata Jagriti Yatras since the first train was firstflagged off in December 2008. The yatras cover the length and breadth of thecountry, both geographically and in terms of the work being undertaken in thevillages and cities by entrepreneurs seeking to change the social and economic landscape of the country.

THE FIVE RED THREADSFive ‘red threads’ or underlying themes hold the yatras together from start tofinish, with each thread or idea serving a unique element of learning. The firstis the physical or external transformation that the journey brings about. Thestrain of living on a train for 18 days, sharing quarters with five to seven otheryatris, and making constant adjustments on account of the weather and thetrain schedules, leaves the yatris with some lasting lessons on life and living.

The second thread is an inner journey that every yatri undertakes during those18 days on the train. It challenges their beliefs and attitudes by opening up theirminds to ideas and opinions of youth from different parts of the country, and fromdifferent social and cultural backgrounds; the yatris confront a world that is drastically different from the one they live in and come face-to-face with possiblementors and role models. In short, the journey forces every yatri to chart out hisor her internal path of discovery and change.

Innovation is the third thread. Their visits to various social entrepreneurshipprojects during the course of the journey exposes the yatris to unique solutions to problems that are seemingly insurmountable. They learn — andsee for themselves — how an enterprising spirit can see an opportunity in themost difficult circumstances and find innovative solutions to every problem.

The fourth thread is collaboration. In a country where financial capital isscarce, collaborative or collective efforts can achieve success when individualefforts are inadequate. This theme is demonstrated at two levels — within theenterprises the yatris visit and also in the manner in which the yatris aregrouped into small teams for the purpose of study and analysis. Members of a

TATA JAGRITI YATRA7

group stay together throughout the journey and are assigned a role model to study.

The last, and perhaps the most significant, thread that connects the yatris isthat of transformation. The journey itself is meant only as a beginning and itis the underlying hope of the Tata group that it will lead to a transformation inthe lives of the young yatris and motivate them to go out and lead developmentby setting up social enterprises that are inclusive and profitable.

A JOURNEY OF CHANGEAs the experiences of the yatris recorded in this book demonstrate, TJY bringsabout transformation at many levels. At one level, it sensitises the youth to theproblems faced by Indians from less privileged backgrounds and clearly showsthe success of the enterprise-led developmental model in finding viable solutions.Visits to the social enterprise projects and discussions with social entrepreneursinspire the yatris to take up such challenges themselves.

At another level, the journey takes the yatris on an exploration of their ownlatent potential as change makers. TJY is designed to provide maximum experiential learning; it prepares participants for a future where they too can positively impact the lives of others.

At the third level, the yatra changes perceptions about India. This is especiallytrue for foreign yatris, who see an India that is vastly different from the stereotypes usually associated with it. This exposure to the ‘real’ India helpsthem build their own unique image of the country and fosters integration by getting them to appreciate different cultures, attitudes and languages.

It is true that one single journey is not enough to know and understand acountry and its problems, and TJY does not claim to do that; what it does,however, is kindle the spirit of the youth and light a small fire within thatburns for their country and its people. In the same vein, one book cannot capture a yatra of this nature in its entirety; but what it can do is spread thespark that TJY lit in the hearts and minds of all those who were a part of it.

This book has been designed as a collection of images and experiences thatbring alive the story of the three yatras. It takes us on the journey throughthe eyes of the yatris and in their words. We hope that, like the yatra, thisbook too inspires and motivates readers to take the initiative and set up enterprises which lead to a better and happier life for all.

TATA JAGRITI YATRA8

LAUNCHED

December 2008

OBJECTIVES

� To inspire youth with the entrepreneurial spirit that drives India

beyond the big cities.

� To encourage them to take up social enterprise projects by

giving them an opportunity to visit social enterprises in rural and

small-town India.

THE YATRIS

� Youth from countries around the world.

� The yatris include participants (potential social and business

entrepreneurs, aged 18-25 years) and facilitators (experienced

professionals, above 25 years of age, who act as coordinators

and mentors for the participants).

� Around 330 yatris participated in the first yatra and 400 yatris in

the second and third.

THE TRAIN

� A special train with separate coaches for men and women, with

2 AC chair cars serving as a common room.

� Guards travel on the train to ensure safety.

� Meals are prepared and served on board.

� A doctor travels on the train, and a well-equipped medical kit is

provided to take care of emergencies.

THE JOURNEY

� 18 days. � 9,000 kilometres.

� 13 destinations. � 15 role models.

THE YATRI PLEDGE

“I, as a member of Tata Jagriti Yatra, hereby pledge that I will use all the

lessons I have learnt on the yatra for the betterment of mankind. And

I will use all my strength and resources to create a division-free India.”

TATA JAGRITI YATRA: A FACT FILE

TATA JAGRITI YATRA9

ROUTE MAP

TATA JAGRITI YATRA10

PANEL DISCUSSIONS

2008LOCATION TOPIC PANELLISTS

Kanyakumari Yes, we can

� Kishor Chaukar, MD, Tata Industries

� RA Mashelkar, former director general, Council of

Scientific and Industrial Research

ChennaiFrom poverty to

self-help

� Paul Basil, founder-CEO, Rural Innovation Network

� Sean Blagsveldt, founder-CEO, Babajob.com

� R Elango, panchayat president, Kuthambakkam

village, Tamil Nadu

� Priyadarshini Karve, founder-director, Samuchit

EnviroTech

Hyderabad

Making healthcare

affordable for every

Indian

� Dr Venkat Chengavalli, CEO, Emergency Management and

Research Institute

� R Gopalakrishnan, executive director, Tata Sons

� Dr Ashwin Naik, founder and CEO, Vaatsalya Healthcare

Solutions

� N Prasad, vice chairman – board, Matrix Laboratories

� Dr Karkala Subba Rao, former director of Nizam’s Institute

of Medical Sciences

Jamshedpur

India’s civic

challenges, solutions

that work

� MB Nirmal, founder, ExNoRa International

� Madan Mohan Rao, founding member, Rural Telecom

Foundation

� Partha Sengupta, vice president, corporate services,

Tata Steel

New Delhi Power of one [Hindi]

� Bindeshwar Pathak, founder, Sulabh International

� Arbind Singh, founder, Nidan

� Rajdeep Sardesai, editor-in-chief, CNN-IBN

AnandUnleashing India’s

entrepreneurs

� Homi Khusrokhan, former MD, Tata Chemicals

� Suhel Seth, managing partner of Counselage India

and founder of Equus

� Navin Thangiah, director, market development, mChek

The panel discussions of 2008, 2009 and 2010 were telecast in India on CNBC TV18

TATA JAGRITI YATRA11

2009LOCATION TOPIC PANELLISTS

Kanyakumari

Women and

enterprise: Success

stories and role

models

� Madhura Chatrapathy, founder and trustee, ASCENT,

founder and past president, Association of Women

Entrepreneurs of Karnataka (AWAKE)

� Chetna Gala-Sinha, founder, Mann Deshi Mahila

micro-enterprise development bank and Mann Vikas

Samajik Sanstha NGO

� Shaheen Mistri, CEO, Teach for India and founder,

Aakansha Foundation

Kuthambakkam,Chennai

Enabling rural

enterprise

� Kishor Chaukar, MD, Tata Industries

� R Elango, panchayat president, Kuthambakkam village,

Tamil Nadu

HyderabadFunding India’s small

entrepreneurs

� Shaffi Mather, founder, Dial 1298 for Ambulance and

co-founder, Moksha Yug Access

� K Mohan Rao, state director Hyderabad, Khadi and

Village Industries Commission

� Krishna Tanuku, executive director, Wadhwani Centre for

Entrepreneurship Development, Indian School of Business

� Nandini Vaidyanathan, professor and founder, Startups

Jamshedpur

Clean technology and

renewable energy:

Opportunities for

entrepreneurs

� Prasad Menon, MD, Tata Power

� Om Narayan, VP, shared services, Tata Steel

� Gyanesh Pandey, co-founder and CEO, Husk Power

Systems

� Shailendra Nath Sharan, director, DESI Power and CEO,

Baharbari Udyogic Vikas Swablambi Shakari Samiti

� Mandeep Singh, COO, India, D Light Design

New Delhi Yes, we can

� Sanjeev Bikhchandani, co-founder, Naukri.com,

99acres.com, Jeevansakti.com

� Sunil Handa, professor at IIM-A and founder, Eklavya

Foundation

� RA Mashelkar, former director general, Council of

Scientific and Industrial Research

� Laura Parkin, executive director, Wadhwani Foundation

and National Entrepreneurship Network

Mithapur Power of one [Hindi]

� Rami Ben, member, Okhai team

� Venkat Krishnan, founder, GiveIndia

� R Mukundan, MD, Tata Chemicals

TATA JAGRITI YATRA12

TATA JAGRITI YATRA13

2010LOCATION TOPIC PANELLISTS

KanyakumariStarting an enterprise,

making a difference

� Vijay Pratap Singh Aditya, co-founder and CEO,

Ek Gaon Technologies

� Shaffi Mather, founder, Dial 1298 for Ambulance

� Vishal Talreja, co-founder and director, Dream-a-Dream

HyderabadFunding India’s

entrepreneurs

� Alok Kejriwal, CEO and founder, Contests2Win

� Dewal Sanghvi, CEO, Dasra

� Nandini Vaidyanathan, professor and founder, Startups

JamshedpurEnabling successful

agro enterprise

� Kaushalendra Kumar, founder, Samriddhi

� Madhukar Shukla, XLRI, Jamshedpur

� Gijs Spoor, co-founder, Zameen Organics

Mithapur The power of one

� R Elango, panchayat president, Kuthambakkam village,

Tamil Nadu

� Anshu Gupta, Goonj

� Anand Kumar, Super30

On the right trackOver the past three years, Tata Jagriti Yatra, an 18-day expedition through the Indian heartland, has been changing the lives of hundreds of young

men and women. We capture their impressions, reactions and moods in an ensemble of images and words in the following pages

TATA JAGRITI YATRA14