Gujarat Changemakers Meet (GCM)
An Idea has no bar and a Changemakers has no limit!The idea of Gujarat Changemakers evolved from Yugaantar, a National Youth Conference held in 2012, 2018, 2019, and 2020. A consistent highlight of each Yugaantar edition was the celebration of “Unsung Heroes”—an element that eventually transformed into a revolutionary initiative: a meet completely dedicated to these grassroots leaders.
Walking the path of discovering and recognizing these individuals, the Gujarat Changemakers Meet (GCM) was introduced by Samanway Pratishthan in association with the India Foundation in July 2024. Designed as a dedicated platform for those driving positive social change, the inaugural Meet took place on July 20 & 21, 2024, at i-Hub, Government of Gujarat Campus.
The event brought together 57 Changemakers from all across Gujarat on a single platform. These Changemakers were actively driving impact in diverse fields, including education, healthcare, preservation of armed forces history, anti-human trafficking, agricultural innovations, social movements and more.
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 (NGOs & Social StartUps)
- Content Creators
- Industries
- Board of Mentors (comprising experts from government, industry, the social sector, and education)
The two-day intensive Meet became a platform for the 57 Changemakers of Gujarat to present their work and the impact of their initiatives. GCM served as a catalyst for both the geographical and conceptual expansion of their ideas, fostering meaningful connections by establishing horizontal and vertical linkages. This included integrating Changemakers with corporate entities and government bodies to ensure greater synergy and long-term sustainability.
To amplify collaborative impact and drive meaningful change across sectors, GCM became the foundation of our long-term vision of establishing an ecosystem of Changemakers- the beginning of a revolution.
Building upon the success and vision of the Gujarat Changemakers Meet (GCM), the concept of The Changemakers Network (TCN) emerged 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 driving positive change across the country.