Let's create a better tomorrow
WHAT WE DO
India faces a multitude of problems from corruption and crony capitalism, to environmental degradation and erosion of human rights. We feel that all these issues are interlinked and are largely rooted in an inefficient and dysfunctional democracy. We have identified two fundamental problems that we wish to shift - firstly, a feeling of disempowerment among citizens which in turn leads to citizen apathy, and secondly, a lack of accountability among decision-makers.
Alongside these problems we see a key opportunity to address them: an unprecedented use of digital communication technology (web and mobile) by a rapidly growing number of citizens. This allows for rapid dissemination of information and the ability to coordinate and mobilise disparate groups of citizens to regularly hold leaders accountable using democratic process.
The unique value that Jhatkaa.org brings is the effective use of digital communication to engage and mobilise citizens at scale. Our focus is on movement building, using digital tools that make it easier for citizens to engage in democracy and hold decision-makers (both corporate and government) accountable to our vision. Jhatkaa.org wins campaigns by deploying a range of tactics. This includes, but is not limited to - petitions, public engagement, building volunteer movements, media engagement, mass phone calls and emails to public representatives, member-generated research and reportage of issues. We also use our expertise in creation of viral and culturally-relevant content to engage large numbers of citizens.
In the long-term we want to empower progressive citizens to take an active part in our democracy, and thus enable our vision of a more equitable, inclusive and sustainable India.
OUR MISSION
To use innovative technology and public mobilisation to build an active movement of progressive Indians who take action to affect change that would not be possible if they acted alone - holding government, corporate, and cultural leaders accountable to our vision.
OUR VISION
We aim to create a progressive India - one that’s equitable, inclusive, and sustainable - built and maintained through the democratic power of an engaged citizenry.
HOW WE WORK
Identify demand and decision maker
What is the specific change and who has the power to make it
Mobilize citizens to take actions
From signing petitions, to calling decision-makers, joining events etc
Engage with decision-makers
Get them to understand the benefits of implementing the change
Create Impact
OUR VICTORIES
ABOUT OUR CAMPAIGNERS
Avijit Michael
Avijit Michael has worked at the intersection of campaigning and digital technology for the past decade. He worked with the team that pioneered online petitions and digital mobilisation in India with Greenpeace. He then worked at Change.org as Country Director to set up their India operations before moving to a role as Global Development Director where he built strategy for user engagement globally. He currently leads Jhatkaa.org, with a mission to build the tools that will enable citizen engagement in democracy and increase government accountability.
Divya Narayanan
Divya has a background in public health and human rights. She has worked in the grassroots environmental and health issues for 7 years. At Jhatkaa.org she manages the campaigns team for public mobilisation around air pollution & climate change, gender & sexuality and other social justice & human rights issues. She is based out of Bangalore, Karnataka.
Shikha Kumar
Shikha Kumar is Campaigns Manager – Environment, Air Pollution & Climate Change. Her work revolves around sussing out potential campaigning opportunities, mobilising citizens, co-ordinating partnerships and engaging with decision-makers. She’s also been a journalist for over seven years, and writes features on books, society, and art & culture for publications like Open Magazine, India Today, The Hindu, and FirstPost.
Nimisha Agarwal
Nimisha has a PhD in climate change and agriculture. After finishing her PhD she joined Jhatkaa.org. She works as a senior campaigner on the issues of air pollution and climate change. She worked on several campaigns, which includes push for cleaner fuel, saving forests and is actively part of the global climate strike.
Jyotsna Sara George
Jyotsna has a background in community organising, campaign planning and non-violent direct action. Prior to joining Jhatkaa.org she worked for six years with Students for a Free Tibet as a grassroots human rights activist in the Tibetan Freedom Movement. At Jhatkaa.org Jyotsna is Campaigns Manager – Gender and Sexuality; from fighting sexual harassment on college campuses to advancing equal rights for the LGBTQ community. She is based out of Dharamsala, Himachal Pradesh.
Punita Maheshwari
Punita is a Gender and Sexuality Campaigner with Jhatkaa.org. Before this, she was a journalist for four years with The New Indian Express and Bangalore Mirror where she covered academics, gender and human interest beats. She is also a Political Science graduate from Delhi University where she spent her three years grasping and understanding Feminism better. With Jhatkaa.org and on a personal level, she thrives to build an equitable society that represents a healthy democracy.
Roshan Kedar
Roshan is a Marathi Campaigner at Jhatkaa.org. He is working on mobilizing Maharashtra movement around Air Pollution and Climate Change. With a masters degree in Computer Science and his three and a half years of experience in social sector, he focuses on innovative ways of campaigning through technology.
Pooja Tanna
Pooja is a volunteer coordinator at Jhatkaa.org. She has done her master’s diploma in community media from TISS, Deonar. She has been involved in various environmental causes in parts of Gujarat, Tamil nadu, Madhya Pradesh and Maharashtra. She is a staunch believer of spreading awareness in public and in people’s participation for a stronger society. Working with Jhatkaa.org she believes a lot can be done in mobilising public on climate change issues to further strengthen the movement.
Jacob Cherian
Jacob believes in the importance of on-ground physical work as the foundation for systemic change. His role as the Director of Engagement is to help mobilize members to take their efforts from being purely online to being on-ground as well. His environmental-related background lies in his pan-India work with clean-ups (#PloggingParty) and tree-planting drives as a volunteer, and as the founder of TerreGeneration.com.