Earlier this month I mentioned that I was going away on a journey, a journey of transformation and discovery . A yatra … The Jagriti Yatra takes hundreds of India’s highly motivated youth (with some participation of international students) between the ages of 20-25 and experienced professionals with age above 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 they have begun to inspire the youth of India to lead and develop institutions both nationally and within  communities.

1 Train | 12 Destinations | 15 Role Models | 15 Days | 450 Youths | 9000 kms

Its been 10 days since i’ve been back , im still trying to process everything i felt , experienced and learnt in those 15 Days i hope this poem does justice to the awesome trip that was and will forever be in my treasured memories , So here goes……….

I will remember how :-

Every morning I woke up to the differences in landscapes

Every day I heard songs of freedom , values and inspiration songs for mind escape

Every meal I had was on the move

Every nights sleep on a berth moving to the trains groove

Every bottle of water crushed and returned in exchange for another

Every bogie distinguished and decorated differently from each other

Every time we sang the jagriti geet enthusiastically

Every yatri made notes scholastically

Every whistle from team Disha that kept us moving

Every “Mentor should charge” had us disapproving

Every compartment occupied with sleeping bags and  tagged luggage

Every sketch drawn by our local artists on a new page

Every uniquely decorated compartment

Every biz gyan interest group and department

Every ice cold bath in our innovative bathrooms

Every “excuse me” and “side – side” to move past compartments, to VROOM!!

Every bhangra move to the dhol beats

Every handsome naval officer and their fleet

Every power nap between session and talks

Every visit to village walks

Every game played

Every song on guitar strings layed

Every catering staff that was out to fatten us up

Every panel discussion close up

Every green bottle of cough meds

Every “attention yatri’s” said

I will never forget how:-

Every face was different

Every aspiration indifferent

Every eye had an aim and glistened

Every personal story listened

Every role model had taught

Every Yatri had imbibed , learnt and caught

Every life-line on a graph

Every tear , every laugh

Every dance to bring in the new year

Every idea that put my brain in fast gear

Every vision questioned

Every new Yatri friend accepted unquestioned

Every mind with their own feat and thought

Every intense conversation caught

Everyone under the banyan tree that started it all

Every name engraved in the temple slabs and wall

Every life had a purpose

1 World

Many nations , Many aspirations

1 Aim

Bettering our earth and the lives of people on it

This is my take away !

This is me , this you , this is us !

 ‘Yaaron Chalo, Badalne Ki Rut hai’ 

To apply you can fill the form here Jagriti Yatra 2012

View pictures of Day 1- Day 7

View pictures from the Time to smile campaign