Over the past four years, we have dedicated ourselves to a range of social volunteerism activities, ensuring that our efforts translate into tangible on-ground impact.
Assam Flood Relief Initiative
Our dedication to making a difference was demonstrated during the major floods in Assam in 2022. In response, Pratha collaborated with the Assamese Society of Pune to initiate a successful funding campaign, raising 60,000 rupees in just a few weeks. These funds were then used to support two local NGOs in the flood-affected areas of Assam, particularly in Sichar, where we distributed essential supplies such as medicine, food, sanitary napkins, and other essentials to over 250 flood victims. In addition, Pratha launched an online campaign to raise awareness about the situation and encourage donations to the Assam CM Relief Fund, receiving support from Mr. Ankit Bhuptani, a delegate to UN Women.
Campaign for Inclusion of North East Indian History in NCERT Syllabus
In 2021, Pratha, in collaboration with over 30 youth organizations in North East India, took a stand against racism and discrimination following the unjust racist attacks on the Honourable former Minister of Minority Affairs, Shri Ninong Ering, from Arunachal Pradesh. In response, we initiated a powerful social media campaign demanding the inclusion of North East history and culture in the NCERT syllabus as we believe the sole reason of racism against North East Indians is the complete ignorance of majority Indians about the culture and history of North East India due to the absence of the contents regarding this region in NCERT syllabus.
Our campaign, driven by the hashtags #NorthEastMatters and #NorthEastMatters, aimed to create a nationwide Twitter trend to raise awareness and garner support for our cause. The movement gained significant traction, leading to major media houses and esteemed MPs, such as Sashi Tharoor, taking notice and expressing their concern.
The overwhelming response to our Twitter trend, which received 310K tweets, was covered by all major media outlets, contributing to the policy-making process.
In addition to our social media campaign, Pratha (formerly known as Kvayavarsha) spearheaded a major online panel discussion in collaboration with six reputed educational institutions from North East India. The panel discussion, generously sponsored by Oil India Limited and supported by Inside NE and North East Today, featured distinguished panelists: Mr. Sachin Gogoi, Editorial Lead, Asia Pacific, BBC News; Mythili Hazarika, Assistant Editor at The Print; and PJ Baruah, Executive Editor at Assam Tribune.
The panel discussion was covered by India Today NE (India Today Group) and North East Today, further amplifying the voices of the North East and fostering a meaningful dialogue about its rich history and culture. Pratha remains committed to advocating for the inclusion and representation of North East history and culture in educational curricula, ensuring that the stories and experiences of this vibrant region are not forgotten or overlooked.
Listen To North East Conclave & RHA Collaboration
Pratha (previously Kavyavarsha) has also been actively involved in regular food drives and academic drives, partnering with organizations like Robin Hood Army to provide free food and education to the underprivileged. Our commitment to making a difference extends beyond our immediate community, as demonstrated by our 2020 “Listen To North East” campaign .Under this initiative, Pratha organized one of the largest online student conferences in collaboration with student unions and councils from major central and state universities in the North East, including Sikkim University, North Eastern Hill University, Dibrugarh University, Tezpur University, Cotton University, Mizoram University, Assam Agriculture University, Gauhati University, Rajiv Gandhi University, and Tripura University. The event was held in partnership with “The North East Journal” and featured esteemed guests such as Padma Shri Santosh Yadav, the world’s first woman to climb Mount Everest twice, and Priyanka Bissa, a NSS National Awardee, Indian Youth Ambassador to China in IYD, TEDx Speaker, and officially recognized as the daughter of Chhattisgarh by the Government of Chhattisgarh. The conclave brought together core representatives from the collaborating universities to discuss developmental challenges in North Eastern India and explore potential solutions with our distinguished guests.
Project Shrot
Pratha commemorated the 155th birth anniversary of Sister Nivedita with a profound tribute to her remarkable contributions to women’s education, India’s freedom movement, literature, art, and spirituality.
This commemoration, aptly named “Shrot 2.0,” was a collaborative effort with Vivekananda Kendra. The highlight of this event was an inter-school speech competition held across 41 Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalayas in the remote corners of Arunachal Pradesh. The winners of this competition were honored by the esteemed Chief Guest, Dr. Vityala Yethindra, recognized as the world’s youngest scientist.
Additionally, a workshop on public speaking was conducted during the felicitation ceremony, led by our Joint Secretary, Miss Sheenam Dhingra. The event witnessed enthusiastic participation from hundreds of students from various regions of Arunachal Pradesh, fostering a deepened interest in public speaking and nurturing their confidence.
Pratyasha Honours
Pratha, formerly known as Kavyavarsha, had the honor of felicitating three esteemed environmental activists from Assam in a distinguished ceremony graced by the esteemed Chief Guest, Shri. Job Zachariah, a former Director of the Government of India, MHRD, and the Chief of UNICEF, Chhattisgarh, presided over the event “Pratyasha Honours” on 14th April, 2021. The primary objective of this event was to offer due recognition to the exceptional work of these activists and to raise awareness and inspire individuals towards environmentalism.The event featured the felicitation of Mr. Rituraj Phukan, a seasoned explorer who has undertaken expeditions to Antarctica and the Arctic to witness firsthand the effects of climate change on these delicate ecosystems. Mr. Phukan also serves as the National Coordinator for Biodiversity at the Climate Reality Project India and as the District Manager for northeast India. Additionally, the event honored Mr. Arghadeep Barua, a prominent environmentalist and musician hailing from Assam, and Shirshendu Shekhar Das, the visionary founder of Midway Journey, a notable river cleanliness and recycling campaign in Assam, recognized for his grassroots efforts in environmental conservation.
Following the resounding success of the inaugural Pratysha Honours, we proudly hosted the event once more to honor the exceptional young environmentalists from Northeast India. The ceremony was graced by the esteemed Chief Guest, Miss Ridhima Pandey, a globally recognized Climate Activist, TEDx Speaker, and distinguished as one of the most influential Women in the World by BBC. Miss Pandey stands as one of the world’s youngest climate activists, inspiring change and advocacy on a global scale.The event featured the commendation of three dedicated teenage environmental activists, Ashadeep Baruah, Alifa Zibrani, and Joel Kyndiah, who serve as coordinators for Fridays for Future. These exceptional individuals have demonstrated unwavering commitment to a wide range of environmental initiatives, contributing their voices and efforts to various movements. Their work encompasses research, strategic planning, and outreach, fostering dialogues and discussions to rally communities towards the urgent need for collective action in pursuit of climate justice..
Healthcare Initiatives
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Pratha took the initiative to organize a crucial discussion on mental health issues that arose during the crisis, led by Dr. Mythili Hazarika, a distinguished former Postdoctoral Researcher at the University of Florida, Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology at GMCH, and President of SoMHiL. This event was conducted in collaboration with the dedicated NSS volunteers of the state of Bihar.
The discussion aimed to address the mental health challenges that escalated during the lockdown, leading to a surge in suicide cases. This event also featured one-on-one discussions between Dr. Hazarika and the youth from Bihar, providing a platform for open dialogue and support. The objective was to shed light on the mental health implications of the pandemic and offer guidance to those affected, fostering a sense of community and resilience in these challenging times.
In commemoration of International Women’s Day 2021, Pratha proudly presented a panel discussion on “Awareness on Cervical Cancer and Deterioration of Mental Health in Indian Women,” in collaboration with the esteemed Assam Cancer Care Foundation (a joint initiative of the Government of Assam and TATA Trust) and the dedicated team at Girl Up Tezpur.
The distinguished panelists included Padma Shri. Dr. Ravi Kannan, Director of Cachar Cancer Hospital and Research Centre, Dr. Subrata Chanda, Lead of the Cancer Care Program at Assam Cancer Care Foundation, and Dr. Mythili Hazarika, Associate Professor of Clinical Psychology at GMCH. This event was organized in response to the alarming concern that one third of the total Cervical Cancer cases reported globally originate from India, with one of the world’s highest mortality rates. Despite this, the level of awareness surrounding Cervical Cancer remains disproportionately low in the country.
Pratha also collaborated with the esteemed District Water and Sanitation Committee, Government of Assam & Leo Restoration Squad for a pan-India awareness initiative on the importance of blood donation before vaccination. This initiative is in response to the appeal made by the Government of India, encouraging every youth to donate blood before receiving COVID-19 vaccines.
PROJECT PRATYSHA
The founder President of Pratha led the initiative for Pratyasha 1.0 , a fundraising Open Mic event in collaboration with the Student Union of Dibrugarh University, Assam. This event featured popular bands and performers from across Assam and successfully garnered approximately one lakh in donations, including contributions made both on stage and through individual donations during the event. The primary objective of this fundraising endeavor was to generate funds for the medical treatment of Miss Sonali Buragohain, a cancer patient in need of support.
Subsequently, the second installment of the Pratyasha event was organized to offer a day outing for the orphaned children of Parona Child Home in Dibrugarh, Assam. The children were treated to a memorable experience at a renowned restaurant, complete with musical performances and a hearty meal & major donations.
Pratyasha 3.0 was dedicated to honoring Padma Shri Harekala Hajabba, an inspirational figure who selflessly utilized all his savings from selling fruits to establish the first school in his village. This event featured a national-level speech competition in collaboration with IIT Guwahati Literary Society, International Youth Society, and United India Publishing. The competition aimed to raise awareness about Hajabba’s remarkable life story and encouraged donations towards the development of his school and pre-university education. Pratha contributed all proceeds from the event towards this noble cause. Renowned Indian singer Zubeen Garg lent his support to amplify the message and engage a wider audience.
The grand finale of this event included the felicitation of winners in the presence of esteemed guests such as Padma Shri Harekala Hajabba, H.H Queen Nadia Harahiri, Crowned Queen Aya of Africa (Royal Queen of Hawaii), and Shri Bhakta Charan Das, Minister of State for Railways, Government of India.
Coalition Partner with UNICEF
Pratha (formerly known as Kavyavarsha) held the position of coalition partner with YuWaah, a UNICEF-led initiative, for the launch of the Young Warriors coalition. This pan-India partner-led coalition comprises a robust network of 1350 supporting organizations, all united in their mission to mobilize 5 million young individuals to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. The coalition is committed to bringing together key stakeholders, including Central and State Governments, the private sector, civil society organizations, UN agencies, industry associations, and philanthropic foundations. By harnessing the immense potential of our youth, the coalition aims to make a significant impact in the fight against COVID-19.
Sustainability Workshops
Pratha celebrated the World Environment Day 2024 at the Vivekananda Kendra Vidyalaya in Bengaluru, where our founder President Mr. Vishal Dutta engaged with the students with thought-provoking Sustainability Workshops and SDG discussions, which sparked meaningful conversations among the young minds. The highlight of the day was a major quiz that tested their knowledge and enthusiasm for environmental conservation. There was also an online event conducted by Pratha and team Jio Events, in which the UN India YuWaah Advocate Mr. Mohammed Siraj joined in for discussion on SDGs with the students.