An Innovation in Education

Updated on: Monday, February 15, 2010

This is taking education to an altogether different level. And it begins with an annual train journey that takes youngsters in the age group of 20-25 on a 9000 km adventure covering 13 cities in 18 days. The objective of the journey is to promote enterprise-led development by igniting in the travellers (yatris) a spirit of entrepreneurship. This is achieved through experiential learning as on-site visits bring business models to life and presentations and ‘elevator pitches’ add dynamism to the programme.

A unique feature of the Tata Jagriti Yatra is the personal interaction of the yatris with entrepreneurs who share inspirational stories of their triumphs and dark days. There are presentations where the nuances of the business are discussed. Presentations and interactive sessions on leadership and entrepreneurship are taken by experienced guest facilitators on-board the train.

During the journey, stress is laid on the social impact that entrepreneurial success can achieve. The driving philosophy is that socially conscious entrepreneurs can bring a transformative change in critical growth-areas such as healthcare, education, energy and village development.

At the core of the programme is an attempt to initiate in the travellers a process of self-discovery. Each yatri is inspired to cultivate the attitudes of an entrepreneur — creative sessions on board the train encourage out-of-the-box thinking and pep talks promote a risk-taking ability. Amidst all the activity there develops a can-do spirit along with an increased resilience and tenacity.

In the end, it is the interaction amongst the yatris that proves to make the experience memorable. With an equitable representation of girls and boys, a fair representation of NRI’s, a sprinkling of foreigners and a diverse crowd coming from varied socio-economic and educational backgrounds, a fertile ground is provided for constructive dialogue.

And if there is one universal message that the yatra leaves behind, it is best summed up in the words of Robert Frost — “Two roads diverged in the woods, and I took the one less travelled by, And that has made all the
difference.”

An Innovation in Education

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