Prakarsha Academy

Bridging classroom learning with organisational practice through field visit and understanding social impact through direct engagement.

As part of the experiential learning journey under Prakarsha Academy’s Arohanam programme, the team undertook a field visit to Margadarshi, an association for the physically challenged, in Chamarajanagar, along with Sri Sriranga Kulakarni. The visit aimed at gaining hands on exposure and advancing efforts towards strengthening project management practices within grassroots organisations. Such field immersions form a core component of Arohanam, effectively bridging structured learning with real world social work practice.

Valedictory Ceremony of Women Leadership Training Organised by Prakarsha Academy.
The Samvardhini Women Leadership Training organised by Prakarsha Academy came to a meaningful conclusion, marking the end of an inspiring learning journey. The program was 9 days class room training spread over 4 months with offline interventions at the NGO workplaces to ensure implementation of the learnings. The programme witnessed active participation, thoughtful discussions and valuable takeaways that strengthened confidence, skills and clarity among the participants. We wish all the participants the very best in their future endeavours and hope the learnings from Samvardhini continue to support and inspire them in every step ahead.

A milestone moment for Prakarsha Academy and our community of changemakers!

On 17th and 18th October at Yuvaka Sangha, we proudly inaugurated the first cohort of Arohanam, a unique year-long program by Prakarsha Academy in partnership with Rashtriya Sewa Bharati, supported by Azim Premji Foundation. The program empowers NGOs with essential skills in Fundraising, legal and compliance, Project Management, and Social Media Communication.

Day 1 brought together all cohort participants, while Day 2 focused on a strategic project management session with project managers from participant organizations. The event was graced by the President of the Trust, Sri Jagadeesh Maiya; Chief Mentor, Sri Venkatesha Murthy; and Trustee, Sri Bhaskar Nadig.

Learning and collaboration defined these two impactful days, highlighted by engaging group activities. This marks the launch of our second cohort on this transformative journey. The trainer for the session was Sri Sudarshan Swamy (Chief Learning Facilitator, Prakarsha Academy). Sri Sanjay Bhat took an energiser session, and a special Yoga Nidra was facilitated by Sri Rajesh Kangovi, all hosted by volunteer Harsha G B.

Next up: sessions on Fundraising and Social Media Communication that will further strengthen our changemakers’ capabilities to drive sustainable social impact. Follow us to learn more.

We’re pleased to kick off our second cohort of Arohanam!

Prakarsha Academy is all set to host the inaugural event and workshop on October 17th and 18th, highlighting our ongoing journey in empowering grassroots NGOs across Karnataka. Excited to continue deepening social impact with new changemakers and partners as we celebrate this new beginning!

📢 Opportunity: Social Media Manager (Bengaluru)

Prakarsha Academy is inviting applications for the position of Social Media Manager to strengthen our digital presence and storytelling initiatives.

🔹 Fresh Graduates: Considered for a 3-month internship with stipend, leading to full-time placement based on performance
🔹 Languages: Proficiency in English and Kannada (spoken) is essential
🔹 Travel: Willingness to travel for campaigns, events, and field content documentation

Candidate Profile:
•⁠ ⁠Minimum 1 years of experience in social media management (brand/agency/nonprofit)
•⁠ ⁠Strong communication and writing skills in English and Kannada
•⁠ ⁠Skilled in short-form video editing and familiar with advertising tools
•⁠ ⁠Creative, detail-oriented, and passionate about digital media for social impact

📩 Interested candidates may apply by sending their CV and portfolio to: [email protected]

The second workshop of Samvardhini, a women's leadership development program, was held on September 11th and 12th, 2025, at Abalashrama. Samvardhini is a program by Prakarsha Academy in collaboration with Hindu Seva Pratishthana, Abalashrama, and Sewa International, designed especially for women change-makers working in the social sector.

The workshop brought together 28 dedicated women leaders from 16 nonprofit organizations working in the social sector. This workshop focused on building systemic capabilities (Samsthika Kaushalya) essential for leading impactful nonprofits.

With expert facilitation by Parimala Murthy, Sudarshan Swamy, and Prof. Karunakara Rai, participants practiced coaching skills, situational leadership, and delivering constructive feedback to foster growth and positive workplace relationships.

We are thrilled to kickstart Samvardhini, an inspiring journey by Prakarsha Academy in collaboration with Hindu Seva Pratishthana and Abalashrama designed especially for women change-makers working in the social sector.

This transformative program comprises four dynamic modules: Self-Discovery, Communication, Management Skills, and Self-Development. Over the coming months, Samvardhini will be a space for reflection, connection, and mutual support. We believe that when women in the social sector grow, the positive ripple lifts entire communities.

We are excited to announce that the journey began with our first in-person session on August 21st & 22nd. The energy, participation, and learning set the perfect tone for the modules ahead!

We were honoured by the presence of our Chief Guests:
•⁠ ⁠Padmashri Dr. Vijayalakshmi Deshmane – President, Abalashrama
•⁠ ⁠Sri. N Tippeswamy – Managing Trustee of Abalashrama and Several other social organizations

Meet Our Esteemed Trainers:
Smt. Srividya Nagaraju — Leadership Trainer, Executive Coach
Smt. Parimala Murthy — Director, AHEAD
Prof. Manasa Nagabhushanam — CEO & Co-founder, DAIV Bharathi Technologies

We are very grateful to Abalashrama for supporting the program and letting us host our modules at their center.

Team Prakarsha Academy:
Sri Jagadeesh Maiya | Sri Venkatesha Murthy | Sri H S Srinivasan | Sri Sudarshan Swamy | Keerthana H S

Celebrating the spirit of freedom, unity, and learning. This Independence Day, let’s pledge to educate, empower, and inspire for a brighter tomorrow. 🇮🇳✨

We received many queries, so we’ve published the entire session on our YouTube channel. The session explores the connection between training and retention.

Our speaker, Sri Sanjay Bhat, Project Head (AnD Bangalore), shared his expertise in project management and delivered a session tailored specifically for NGOs.

Watch the session to learn more: https://youtu.be/yEeollNFXsI

If you're an NGO looking to scale up, follow us for workshops, sessions, and year-long cohorts dedicated to capacity building.

Stop the Talent Drain: The Surprising Connection Between Training Investment and Staff Retention Speaker: Sri Sanjay Bhat, Project Head (AnD Bangalore)1-Hour Online Session for Non-Profit Leaders LearnL✅ The shocking truth about how much staff turnover i...

Struggling with high attrition in your NGO or service organization?

You're not alone!

At Prakarsha Academy, we recently hosted an eye-opening session led by Sri Sanjay Bhat (Project Head - AnD Bangalore), a veteran in training and development, on the hidden cost of attrition and how strategic training can turn the tide.

🎯 Key takeaways:
- Attrition isn’t just about losing people — it’s about losing time, money, productivity, and trust.
- The Training–Attrition Matrix helps diagnose where your organization stands and what to fix.
- Training aligned with organizational mission builds loyalty, reduces turnover, and enhances performance.
- Empathetic leadership, growth conversations, and internal mobility are not optional — they’re essential.
- If you view training as a cost, you’ll keep paying the price of attrition. But if you invest in people, they’ll invest in your mission.

What’s one training initiative your organization has implemented that truly made a difference? Share below!

🔴 Stop the Talent Drain

The Surprising Connection Between Training Investment and Staff Retention

Free 1-Hour Online Session for Non-Profit Leaders | 26th June 2025 (Thursday) - 7:30pm - 8:30pm

Join us for an eye-opening session where you'll discover:
✅ The shocking truth about how much staff turnover is really costing your organization (it's probably 3x more than you think)
✅ Research-backed evidence showing why organizations that invest in training see 40% lower attrition rates
✅ A proven framework that creates win-win outcomes for both employee growth and organizational sustainability
✅ Real case studies from Indian non-profits that transformed their retention rates through strategic capability building

Block your calendars & JOIN US!

Yuvaka Sangha - R Venkatesha Murthy Pranav Foundation Vahini Development Society Youth For Seva Oceanik Education Society Samarthanam Trust For The Disabled Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement - SVYM Rashtriya Sewa Bharti Sevabharathi Kanyady