The idea of finding Unsung Heroes of Bharat emerged from a revolutionary National Youth Conference – Yugaantar which was held in The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda for the first time in 2012. Subsequently, the other editions of the Conference followed in 2018, 2019 & 2020 respectively. The highlight and the most touching element of each edition of Yugaantar was "Unsung Heroes" also known as "Yugaantar Awardees". These individuals, driven by a noble cause, have been making a significant impact on society without seeking recognition or the limelight. Over the years, more than 75+ such heroes have been discovered across India and brought into the public eye, ensuring that their invaluable contributions receive the recognition they truly deserve. With the vision to unite like-minded individuals, striving to bring Positive Change in society, Yugaantar became a platform that brought not only real-life stories of people on a single platform but also encouraged people to take up the Changemaking process.
Walking on the path of “Finding and Recognizing the Real Unsung Heroes,” Gujarat Changemakers Meet (GCM) was introduced by Samanway Pratishthan in association with the India Foundation in July 2024. Building on this vision, GCM emerged as a transformative initiative, creating tremendous waves across Gujarat.
“Gujarat Changemakers Meet” was organized on July 20 & 21, 2024 at i-Hub, Government of Gujarat Campus, bringing together 57 Changemakers from all across Gujarat in on a single platform. These individuals were actively driving impact in diverse fields, including education, healthcare, preservation of armed forces history, anti-human trafficking, agricultural innovations, and social movements.
Selected through a highly detailed and rigorous evaluation process, these Changemakers represented a broad spectrum of impact-driven initiatives. They were categorized into, Individual Changemakers, Institutional & Organizational Changemakers such as NGOs & Social StartUps, Content Creators, Industries and Board of Mentors comprising experts from government, industry, the social sector, and education.
The core objective of the Gujarat Changemakers Meet was to create meaningful connections by establishing horizontal and vertical linkages among Changemakers. This included integrating Changemakers with one another, as well as collaborations with corporate entities and government bodies wherever possible, to ensure greater synergy and impact. Gujarat Changemakers Meet was a two-day intensive meet where all the Changemakers from Gujarat presented their work and the impact of their initiatives. GCM acted as a platform facilitating geographical and conceptual expansion of concepts.
This meet aimed to amplify collaborative impact, driving meaningful change across sectors. With the bigger vision of creating a network of Changemakers who can integrate seamlessly and work on a plug & play model to create Viksit Bharat, “Gujarat Changemakers Network (GCN)” was launched on the pious day of Guru Purnima on July 21, 2024. GCN works a long-term vision of establishing an ecosystem of Changemakers - the beginning of a revolution.
Throughout the year, Changemakers connected and collaborated for greater impact. From sports players competing in International Tournaments to partnerships with leading Startup Ecosystem Players, the leveraged impact is immeasurable, and this is just the beginning. GCM became an initiative that broke geographical barriers in Gujarat, identifying and supporting Changemakers even in the most distant locations. This success within Gujarat naturally paved the way for national expansion.
If one state had over 50 CHANGEMAKERS CREATING a massive impact in the first edition itself, then just imagine the number of changemakers yet to be identified across the entire nation….
Building upon the success and vision of the Gujarat Changemakers Meet (GCM), the concept of The Changemakers Network (TCN) emerges as the next step in driving India towards the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047. TCN envisions creating a national platform to identify, connect and empower the unsung heroes, which will drive positive changes across the country. The Changemakers Network will embark on a mission to find such heroes Driving Positive Change throughout the nation on the grassroots level, embodying the spirit of “कारण नहीं निराकरण “. These are real heroes who move beyond discussions and solve problems with the existing resources. They are Leaders who lead and inspire by example, people who have the vision to see things differently and the drive to bring change at their respective levels. At TCN, idea creators meet resource providers, enablers, networkers etc on one platform because when ideas meet resources, Real Change happens!