Walk for Arcause 1.0

8th July 2022: The evening was filled with lots of laughter and serious conversations around the experiences, learnings, and challenges from Walk for Arcause campaign at Teknix’s “Walk the Talk” in Bangalore. Ar. Gita discussed the importance of architecture and design to be socially responsible with Architect friends.

Walking gives you a different perspective. It brings you closer to nature and allows you to connect to the ground. This environment day, we encourage you to take a step closer to nature and walk to your destination. Every step makes a difference, we have #OnlyOneEarth. Let’s take care of it!

2nd June 2022: A visit to the SELCO Foundation that has been focused on creating and strengthening and building ecosystems through interventions that are long-term and replicable for poor people across varied contexts. They have a holistic and decentralised approach to development. Thank you SELCO for taking us through your work!

2nd June 2022: An absolutely delightful crowd at the 64th Year Annual NASA Convention at Christ (deemed to be) University. It was a pleasure sharing the experiences and objectives of the Walk for Arcause campaign and taking questions from future architects. Thank you NASA India!

30 May 2022: An eventful evening of sharing and interactions at Rotary Club Calcutta Midtown. Architect Gita Sarma Balakrishnan shared her experiences and objectives of the Walk for Arcause campaign!

23 May 2022: In conversation with Ar. Prashant Sutaria, at the Rajasthan Architecture Festival. We discussed the visibility of our profession and the vital role the design community plays in society. Thank you IIA Rajasthan Chapter!

13th May 2022: What a great way to celebrate 3 months to the beginning of the Walk for Arcause campaign! An energy packed morning walk with Faculty of Architecture and Planning, AKTU and the Lucknow Architects Association LAA, followed by an engaging discussion on the journey and learnings! What next Lucknow?

11th May 2022: The Walk for Arcause campaign pays tribute to the millions of workers who form the backbone of the construction industry. Through the interactions with many construction workers along the way, we realised that there are many layers between the hands that build and the ones that design. We as a community need to acknowledge the contributions of our construction workers and their role in building our ideas into reality.

9th May 2022: Awareness starts from home: An interactive session with the security and housekeeping staff in Ar. Gita’s Apartment. The discussion involved sharing the experience of the Walk for Arcause journey and a quick session on Mera Ghar. ‘Aspects of change with respect to transition to major cities’ was an important topic of discussion from the perspective of the migrant workers present.

5th May 2022: Was a great moment taking everyone through the ‘Walk for Arcause’ journey at the warm reception in Delhi organised by the Council of Architecture. Looking forward to doing much more and making a positive difference together.

25th April 2022: What a warm welcome for their very own alumnus! SPA Delhi came together with IIA, USAP Delhi, NASA and SPA Alumni Association to put together a wonderful interactive session with Gita, felicitation followed by a short skit on role of community engagement in architecture by the members of Spandan (theatre society), closing with High Tea.

25th April 2022: Igniting young minds: A presentation at St. Mary’s school about a Career in Design. A proud Alumnus of the school, Ar. Gita also explained how design touches lives.

24th April 2022: A visit to NIRMANA, an economic justice organisation in New Delhi.
NIRMANA works for unorganised sector workers in general and specifically for construction and domestic workers.
Architect Gita spent time interacting with construction workers and a few members of SEVA foundation. Interaction raised awareness on role of architects and the importance of productive synergies between construction workers and architects.

24th April 2022: Understood urban relationship with land in the farming pockets of Laxmi Nagar, Delhi.

24th April 2022: Commemorating the ‘Walk for Arcause’ journey, with a gathering of 80 supporters, a symbolic walk took place yesterday from Raj Ghat to Red Fort, Sunday the 24 of April at 6:45am. Not just architects and academicians but people from different walks of life, students and senior citizens also joined to support and celebrate this day which Architect Gita Balakrishnan would like to coin as Architectural Social Responsibility Day. Completing a total of 350 hours of walking through 7 states, crossing 849 cities, towns and villages, traversing a 1700km distance, Gita crossed into Delhi via Badarpur border on Saturday, 23rd April.

23rd April 2022: Crossing the border and entering Delhi!!

22nd April 2022: Truly beautiful evening with architects from IIA Haryana sharing valuable experiences and learnings from the walk, and how we as designers can stand together for our community.

22st April 2022: Interactive session with students of Manav Rachna College on how design impacts everyone’s lives and how it is important for architects and designers to be more visible in the social realm

21st April 2022: A warm reception followed by an engaging interaction with Haryana Police at the Commissioner of Police, Faridabad. We discussed how design impacts everyone’s life and spoke about common building practices through the ‘Mera Ghar’ session. Thank you Haryana Police for your time and the warm welcome.

20th April 2022: Entering the 6th and 2nd last state of the Walk for Arcause campaign- Haryana!

18th April 2022: Students and Faculty Members of GL Bajaj Group of Institutions, Mathura walked with us and added to the energy and enthusiasm for today’s stretch of the Walk for Arcause campaign followed by an amazing interactive session. The route was dotted with many marvels of historical significance – big, small, known and unknown. While we all agree that these gems need to be preserved, restoration can never happen in isolation. A holistic development including the entire precinct, revitalising the public spaces around and ensuring benefit to local economies are key to a sustainable restoration project.

18th April 2022: Students and Faculty Members of GL Bajaj Group of Institutions, Mathura walked with us and added to the energy and enthusiasm for today’s stretch of the Walk for Arcause campaign followed by an amazing interactive session.

16th April 2022: A whopping 1500kms down. Only a little less than 200kms to go!

12th April 2022: Thank you IIA Rajasthan for the very warm welcome as Ar. Gita entered the 5th State of this journey- Rajasthan. It was followed by an engaging discussion on the experiences during the Walk for Arcause campaign.
Khamma Ghani Rajasthan!!

10th April 2022: Walk for Arcause published in the Hindustan times

9th April 2022: Built by the Maharaja of Gwalior, Jayaji Rao Scindia, the Jai Vilas Palace is a symbol of age-old Indian culture and opulence, preserved to the modern day. The palace also has an intricately designed Durbar Hall with two central chandeliers weighing a couple of tonnes, and hung only after ten elephants had tested the strength of the roof. Other eye catching treasures include: a silver train with cutglass wagons which served guests as it chugged around the table on miniature rails.
Today the palace serves as a museum stretched over 35 rooms, houses the Chitrangada Raje Art Gallery and a library that comprises more than 5,000 books.

9th April 2022: Highly interactive session packed with very interesting questions from the curious audience on how design impacts everyday life at IITM.

8th April 2022: An exciting evening with IIA MP Chapter and IITTM at Gwalior.
Thank you for the warm reception. Shared my experiences from the Walk for Arcause journey so far. Enjoyed an enlightening presentation on Temple Architecture and restoration by Prof. Ramakrishnan.

7th April 2022: Walk for Arcause organised a session in collaboration with JCI Gwalior Swayamew Mrugendrata. Swayamew Mrugendrata is a wing of Junior Chamber International, Gwalior (JCI) working for the welfare of different sections of the society. Ar. Gita raised awareness on role of Architects and Designers in Nation Building and common buildings practices and also interacted with students associated with this organisation during the session. The enthusiasm shown by the audience and the organisation was contagious.

7th April 2022: Record Breaking: Ar. Gita covers 36kms in a day. The longest distance she has covered in a single day until now.

7th April 2022: Ar. Gita was welcomed by cyclist enthusiast Dr. Anjali Patil, Head of Department of Architecture and planning, MITS Gwalior at Jorasi. Later on she joined and interacted with Gwalior based cyclist group Pro-Bikers.

6th April 2022: 05:30 pm: A session with Architects and Engineers organised by TATA Tiscon at Gwalior. An engaging discussion on the Walk for Arcause campaign and how design touches lives.

6th April 2022: 11:30 am: Gwalior Fort also known as the Gibraltar of India ruled by Tomars, Mughals and Scindias is made of Sandstone and Lime Mortar and is the pride of Gwalior. Babur has described it as “the pearl in the necklace of forts of India and not even the winds can touch its masts” because of its unparalleled reputation for being one of the most formidable forts in India. The Walk for Arcause team visited, Man Singh Palace, Gurudwara, Teli ka Mandir, Saas-Bahu Temple, Chaturbhuj Temple which are all located on the fort. Chaturbhuj Temple, Gwalior has inscriptions that contains the earliest known inscription of the circular symbol “O”, to represent zero, in India.

6th April 2022: 10:30 am: MITS Gwalior extended a warm welcome to Ar. Gita who shared her vision and experiences on Walk for Arcause journey so far. The session was followed by an interaction with the students and faculty of Department of Architecture and Planning and the morning was packed with interesting questions from the budding architects of tomorrow.

5th April 2022: 08:00 am: Lessons and awareness of the built environment early on. Rain water harvesting model on its way to school.

4th April 2022: 10:30 am: Datia, Madhya Pradesh. Interaction with Harshvardhan Dubey
It was a pleasure listening to Harshvardhan Dubey, a gifted music instructor who didn’t let his visual impairment stop him from pursuing his passion. We were accompanied by members of Shri Vansh Gopal Lok Kalyan Samiti, a non government organisation in Madhya Pradesh, Datia working for the welfare of the disabled.

2nd April 2022: 10:30 am: A fun, fulfilling sketching session at Santa Maria Azad School, Orchha with the little ones and an interactive session with the teachers and parents on how design can change lives and the common building practices.

2nd April 2022: 10:30 am: Jhansi Fort, Uttar Pradesh
Built by King Bir Singh Judeo of Orchha in the 17th Century, the Jhansi Fort sits on top of a hill as an army stronghold. The fort played a crucial role in the revolution of 1857 and has been a witness to the fiery battle led by Rani Laxmi Bai. There are temples of Lord Shiva and Lord Ganesha within the fort. Sprawling over 15 acres, the fort has 20 feet thick walls of granite and displays a mix of the Bundela and Maratha style of Architecture.

1st April 2022: 10:30 am: Thank you TARAgram for this wonderful experience and Institute of Architecture and Town Planning, Bundelkhand University, Jhansi for joining in and adding to the energy!
TARAgram is an organisation that supports the growth of sustainable employment in rural areas at large scale through development and promotion of world class eco-friendly products made in villages. Operating as a not-for-profit organisation for over 20 years, Taragram has accumulated considerable knowledge of the market and is now scaling up its operations by becoming a social enterprise. Their product portfolio includes handcrafted and recycled paper, textiles and handicrafts, spices and high value food/medicinal products etc.

31st March 2022: 04:00 pm: A quick fun sketching workshop with school kids along the way!

30th March 2022: 04:00 pm: Alipura. With the prince of Alipura.
The Alipura Palace is a haveli built almost 150 years ago with some sections as old as 300 years! The haveli was converted into a heritage hotel in 2008 by its owner, Rao Bahadur Raja Manvendra Singh Judeo, the Raja Saheb of Alipura, who still lives here. There are few old temples surrounding the palace that makes Alipura a wonderful heritage experience!

29th March 2022: 04:00 pm: Maharani Kamlapati Madhya Pradesh.
The cenotaph was built in memory of Maharaja Chhattrashal’s wife first queen Rani Kamlapati.
Built in 17th century, the monument exemplifies the rich Bundeli art with its interior is decorated with foliage patterns made using fresco technique.

28th March 2022: 05:00 pm: An evening with IIA MP with a warm welcome. Also had shared some valuable insights on heritage of the Chattarpur region!

28th March 2022: 06:00 am: Before sunrise ..
As the temperatures soar, moving the walks earlier and earlier into the mornings.. Over half of the walk everyday now traversed before sunrise.

26th March 2022: 10:00 am: Madhya Pradesh: Today’s stretch with Maharani Durga Rajya Laxhmi school and PashooPakshee – Responsible Souvenir Centre.

25th March 2022: 10:00 am: Visit to Responsible Souvenir Project by PashooPakshee. PashooPakshee believes in creating self-sustaining livelihood models by providing sales and marketing support as well as product enhancements based on market input. All of their products are made in-house by local artisans and women from underserved communities living in wildlife conflict zones. The primary goal of this remarkable initiative is to raise awareness on the richness of Indian flora and fauna.

25th March 2022: 07:00 am: The Panna Tiger Reserve is located in the Vindhyan mountain range in the northern part of Madhya Pradesh, spread over the Panna and Chhatarpur districts. Among the animals found here are the Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, chital, chinkara, nilgai, Sambar deer and sloth bear, rusty-spotted cat, Asian palm civet. The Panna Tiger Reserve is home to more than 200 species of birds including the bar-headed goose, crested honey buzzard, red-headed vulture, blossom-headed parakeet, changeable hawk-eagle and Indian vulture.

24th March 2022: 10:00 am: The Khajuraho Group of Monuments is a collection of Hindu and Jain temples in the Madhya Pradesh, India built during the Chandella dynasty, which reached its apogee between 950 and 1050. The temples are known for their erotic sculptures and follow the Nagara-style of architecture and have been designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site

24th March 2022: 05:00 pm: An interaction with Shyamendra Singh, popularly known as Vini Raja. He manages the original wildlife tourism property at Panna- The Ken River Lodge. He manages various tourism, plantation forestry, and eco-development projects around the Panna National Park.

24th March 2022: 05:00 pm: Walking towards Panna.

23rd March 2022: 05:00 pm: Interacting with Mr. Vidya Charan Gautam, the caretaker of the Nagod Library. The Nagod Library has a collection of handwritten Manuscripts which are in the process of being preserved and digitised.

23rd March 2022: 04:00 pm: A visit to the Nagod Fort. Nagod State was a princely state in colonial India located in the present day Satna, Madhya Pradesh. Until the 18th century, the state was known as ‘Unchahara,’ after the name of Unchehara, its ancient capital. The fort is partly used as a school and the rest is home to the Royal Family.

23rd March 2022: 09:00 am: Sweat, blood, thirst and much more… 39 days and a whopping 1000 kilometres! More that half the journey is over. Lots of memories along the way and lots more to come.

22nd March 2022: 10:00 am: Highly interactive session packed with very interesting questions from the curious audience at Blooms Academy, Madhya Pradesh over the various career opportunities in the field of Design.

22nd March 2022: 08:00 am: The ‘Walk for Arcause’ campaign features in ‘Star Samachar’

21st March 2022: 05:00 pm: Founded by Ambika Beri in 2014-15, Art Ichol is a arts and crafts hub, designed to provide an atmosphere of creativity, where art lovers can engage in conversations with artists working live! An amazing opportunity, seized along the way.

21st March 2022: 10:00 am: Folklore exchange with a temple priest on the banks of the River Satna across which lies the Madhavgarh fort. He has been working as a priest here for the last 40 years.

20th March 2022: 10:00 am: Heading towards Satna.

19th March 2022: 11:00 am: IIA Rewa ,Madhya Pradesh
Truly beautiful evening with architects from the Vindhya Region. Architects for a Cause and for the Cause of Architects is the best way to summarize the valuable exchange where we discussed our profession, the need for visibility, expectations and learnings from the walk, and how we as designers can stand together for our community.

19th March 2022: 11:00 am: Rewa, Madhya Pradesh
Walk for Arcause, not just a walk anymore, but also a climb. Ups and downs are a part of the journey, but holding steady is important.
Do follow us, as we climb our way to Delhi!

19th March 2022: 10:00 am: Walking with Architecture friends in Gurh from IIA Madhya Pradesh.

18th March 2022: 10:00 am: Holi celebrations with the ground team at Rewa.

17th March 2022: 9:30 am: Ar. Gita crossed the Sone river in Sidhi. 33 days into the Walk and 50% of the journey is complete!

17th March 2022: 5:30 am: Had some delightful impromptu company while walking through Sidhi, M.P., and turns out that they are from Kerala! The beauty of my country and its diversity.

16th March 2022: 10:00 am: Walking through Sidhi. A sight of natural beauty.

15th March 2022: 10:00 am: Singrauli ke sundar nazaare!

14th March 2022: 10:00 am: If you thought a hospital can only be a building and you need to go to one, think again!
The “Lifeline Express” or “Jeevan Rekha Express”, the world’s first hospital train started in 1991 is a joint initiative of the Impact India Foundation, Indian Railways, and Ministry of Health. It covers the country’s remote areas with insufficient and unaffordable treatment and has inspired similar initiatives around the world! Ar. Gita visited the station Majhaoli in Madhya Pradesh, where the train is currently stationed to learn more about this initiative. Mr. Rupesh Shetty from the Impact India Foundation briefed her about the multitude of medical services that the Lifeline Express offers, which truly lives up to its name – taking medical aid to the doorstep of the far-flung areas of rural India!

14th March 2022: 11:00 am: 10 Rivers Across 4 States!
The ‘Walk for Arcause’ campaign celebrates the 25th edition of The International Day of Action for Rivers by highlighting the importance of Rivers to Biodiversity.
The International Day of Action for Rivers is a day to celebrate our freshwater ecosystems and campaign for their conservation. River systems are home to the most biological diversity on the planet, as well as our most intense human activity. Let’s together join our hands in the effort to save our rivers!

13th March 2022: 11:00 am: Madhya Pradesh
Members from NTPC joined today’s walk added to the energy and enthusiam for today’s difficult stretch of the ‘Walk for Arcause campaign’.

13th March 2022: 11:00 am: 29 days. Now entering into Madhya Pradesh, the 4th state of this journey!

12th March 2022: 11:00 am: Singrauli: An interactive session with the NTPC staff members on ‘The impact and importance of good design and common building practices’.

11th March 2022: 11:00 am: Sonbhadra: Today’s route saw an ascent of 330 metres. Equivalent to over 100 floors!

11th March 2022: 8:00 am: The ‘Walk for Arcause’ campaign features in the ‘Architectural Digest’

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11th March 2022: 8:00 am: The ‘Walk for Arcause’ campaign features in ‘Live Hindustan’

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10th March 2022: 07:00 pm: Banwasi Seva Ashram came into existence when its primary work area – South Sonbhadra (then South Mirzapur) – was in crisis, due to a severe famine in 1954. They work based on Gandhian principles and address basic problems of life faced by the forest dwelling community, especially the most vulnerable people (tribal, SC, OBC) through confidence creation, capacity building and innovational development plans. It was a pleasure interacting with the NGO on how design impacts lives.

10th March 2022: 10:00 am: The ‘Walk for Arcause’ campaign features in ‘Bharatiya Sahara’

9th March 2022: 10:00 am: The Renukoot Lions Club is a part of Lions Clubs International, a network of volunteers who work together to answer the needs that challenge communities. Architect Gita spent time with the members of Lion’s Club in Renukoot and officers of Hindalco in ‘Mera Ghar’ session and raised awareness about common building practices and the role good design can play in changing lives. One of the members also joined her and added to the energy and enthusiam for today’s stretch of the ‘Walk for Arcause’.

9th March 2022: 9:30 am: 25 days, 600+ kilometers. Now entering into Uttar Pradesh, the 3rd state of this journey!

9th March 2022: 10:00 am: The ‘Walk for Arcause’ campaign features in ‘SNC Urjanchal’

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9th March 2022: 10:00 am: The ‘Walk for Arcause’ campaign features in ‘Digital Bharat News’

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8th March 2022: Womens Day special! COA live in conversation with Ar. Gita Balakrishnan and Ar. Habeeb Khan!

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8th March 2022: This Women’s Day, we are thrilled to introduce to you Sunita Devi. She is a Rani Mistri, a master trainer in Masonry, a male dominated field. She has trained over 1600 women masons and has constructed nearly 100 toilets in her village and other neighbouring villages since 2016. Walk for Arcause and Ethos Empowers celebrates incredible Indian women whose power moves have made a real impact! More power to all the women out there! Happy women’s day!

Watch the interview here!

7th March 2022; 10:00 am: Twenty Three days and 30% of the Journey is completed!

7th March 2022; 10:00 am: Walk for Arcause in collaboration with Department of Architecture and Planning, Madhav Institute of Technology & Science, Gwalior organised a two-day workshop session on ‘Urban Lighting’ focused on the security of the city on 6th and 7th of March by Ar. Thiruvengadam, Founder and Ar. Simran Raswant, URI Studio.

The insightful session on 6th March was followed by a Night-Walk at Maharaj Bada, Gwalior to facilitate a live case study. The workshop concluded with Ar. Thiruvengadam encouraging students to come up with innovative design solutions relevant to the problems observed.

7th March 2022; 10:00 am: The ‘Walk for Arcause’ campaign features in ‘Rashtriya Navin Mail’

6th March 2022; 10:00 am: Palamu Fort, Jahrkhand. Palamu Fort (or Betla Fort) is an ancient site situated at the heart of Palamu. It is believed that the forts belonged to the Chero Kings. They bear resemblance to the Mughal style of architecture.

6th March 2022; 10:00 am: The ‘Walk for Arcause’ campaign features in ‘Rashtriya Sagar’

6th March 2022; 10:00 am: The ‘Walk for Arcause’ campaign features on ‘Aaj Tak’

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5th March 2022; 12:00 pm: Architect Gita spent time interacting with the first practising architect from Daltonganj region Satyadev Prasad Agarwal, who has been practising for the last 50 years, working on public projects including institutions, religious spaces, hospitals to name a few. They also discussed how proximity to educational institutions shaped the future of children in the region, reducing the dropout rates.

5th March 2022; 08:00 am: At Betla National Park. Its not just interesting people that Ar. Gita is coming across, but also cheeky monkeys and peaceful elephants.

4th March 2022; 11:00 am: Pied Piper moments
Sujeet Singh and his friends are class 6 students from Nadbelwa, Jharkhand. Curious, they follow with their many questions.

4th March 2022; 10:00 am: It’s been quite a journey, 500+ kilometers in 20 days! Can’t wait for the rest to unfold.

3rd March 2022; 10:00 am: Latehar District, Jharkhand
Changing scenes, changing landscapes

3rd March 2022; 10:00 am: The ‘Walk for Arcause’ campaign features in ‘The CSR Journal’

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2nd March 2022; 10:00 am: Chandwa, Jharkhand
Anytime is a good time. Any place is a good place.
A bunch of girls on their way to school stopped to ask Architect Gita Sarma Balakrishnan about her journey!
The confidence and energy was evident from their questions about her route, motto and profession. They listened patiently as Gita discussed design and the role of an Architect. Curious, they noted the link to the ‘Universe of Architecture’ free online course in Hindi to watch with their friends at school.

2nd March 2022; 10:00 am: St Josephs Rural Community College, Chandwa, Jharkhand

The institution imparts vocational training to prepare the local students who could not continue with their regular schooling due to different reasons and helps them pursue a career in nursing, driving and other fields. Architect Gita spent time with the students discussing how design impacts lives.

2nd March 2022; 10:00 am: The ‘Walk for Arcause’ campaign features in ‘Jaagran’

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2nd March 2022; 10:00 am: The ‘Walk for Arcause’ campaign features on ‘CSR Mandate’.

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2nd March 2022; 10:00 am: The ‘Walk for Arcause’ campaign features on ‘Life and More’.

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2nd March 2022; 10:00 am: The ‘Walk for Arcause’ campaign features on ‘News Nation 360’.

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1st March 2022; 10:00 am: Seventeen days, 400 kilometers and 25% of the Journey is completed!

1st March 2022; 10:00 am: The ‘Walk for Arcause’ campaign features in ‘The Times of Bengal’.

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1st March 2022; 10:00 am: The ‘Walk for Arcause’ campaign features in ‘Dailyhunt’.

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1st March 2022; 10:00 am: The ‘Walk for Arcause’ campaign features in ‘Indian Education Diary’.

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28th March 2022; 11:00 am: Association for Social and Human Awareness, is an empowering organization in Ranchi working towards multiple causes including Women Empowerment, Education for Children of Brick Kiln workers, Nutrition, eradication of Witch Hunting to name a few. In absolute awe of the confidence and dedication that the young individuals trained here exhibit. Many who were trained at Asha, came back to serve their people by being a part of Asha’s efforts. Thank you for such a warm welcome and IIA Jharkhand for organising this eye opener of a visit!

28th February 2022; 10:00 am: A fun and energy packed morning at Firayalal Public School, Ranchi where we interacted with the teachers on Mera Ghar – Common building practices, and with the students over the various career opportunities in the field of Design.

28th February 2022; 12:30 pm: Deepshikha is an institution working towards Child Development and Mental Health in Namkom, Ranchi. The conversations today revolved around inclusivity and ensuring a Barrier Free environment for all. Our spaces need to be designed to include everyone, to equip people not with assistance, but independence.

27th February 2022; 10:00 am: Ranchi, Jharkhand
Members of IIA Jharkhand and BIT Mesra joined and added to the energy and enthusiasm for today’s stretch of the ‘walk for Arcause’!

26th February 2022; 08:58 pm: The ‘Walk for Arcause’ campaign features in ‘The Sunday Guardian’.

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26th February 2022; 06:00 pm: Architects for a Cause and for the Cause of Architects, Ranchi

An eventful evening of sharing and interactions with IIA Jharkhand. Ar. Gita Balakrishnan shared her experiences and objectives of the Walk for Arcause campaign! Senior architects Ar. Vijay Uppal, Chandigarh and Ar. Prashant Sutaria, Mumbai part of the the team who have authored the COA Manual on Architectural Practise (MAP) shared the MAP.

26th February 2022; 12:00 pm: Today’s route saw an ascent of 327 metres. Equivalent to 100 floors up over 30.3kms!

26th February 2022; 10:38 am: The ‘Walk for Arcause’ campaign features in ‘The Telegraph’.

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26th February 2022; 08:00 am: The ‘Walk for Arcause’ campaign features in ‘Prabhat Khabar’.

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February 2022; 12:00 pm: Crossing the Subarnarekha River marking the Jharkhand- West Bengal border, so crossing the state border by crossing the river. Legend has it that traces of gold were found in the river bed!
Excited for Jharkhand!

25th February 2022; 10:00 am: Rajkiya Utkramit Madhya Vidyalay, Silli, Ranchi

A Mera Ghar workshop with the little ones. A beautiful session of learning and delving into the idea of space, one’s home and aspirations very early on.

24th February 2022; 10:00 am: A much needed pit stop at the TATA High Performance Centre, Jamshedpur.
A detailed physio session was organised for Architect Gita at the HPC by IIA Jharkhand

24th February 2022; 08:00 am: The ‘Walk for Arcause’ campaign features again in ‘Uditvani’.

25th February 2022; 10:00 am: BEADS College of Architecture organizes activities as a collaborative of the Walk for Arcause campaign.

Hoping for similar exciting activities in the future!

23rd February 2022; 4:00 pm: Jamshedpur

An evening of sharing and interactions with IIA Jharkhand, Jamshedpur
Architect Gita was welcomed by the IIA Jharkhand chapter for an evening of sharing at Jamshedpur. She was honoured as the Chief guest for the event and shared her experiences and took the audience through her journey and thoughts.

22nd February 2022; 10:00 am: Nadiyara, West Bengal

Design touches everyone’s life. We just need to look around and observe. Today, Architect Gita took the students at GRK DAV Public School, Nadiyara on an exploratory session on design and through the myriad of opportunities in the different design professions.

22nd February 2022; 08:00 am: The ‘Walk for Arcause’ campaign features on Bizz Buzz.

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22nd February 2022; 08:00 am: The ‘Walk for Arcause’ campaign features on Uditvani.

22nd February 2022; 08:00 am: The ‘Walk for Arcause’ campaign features in the Telegraph.

21st February 2022; 10:00 am: Chai pe Charcha, Madhuban, West Bengal

Curious passersby stop to hear our story. Incidentally, everyone was a construction worker and a discussion on common building practices followed. Most of them were aware of the profession of an Architect.

19th February 2022; 10:00 am: Chai pe Charcha, Bankura, West Bengal

A casual chat over tea. We discussed some fundamental basics of design, inclusivity and safety with people from different walks of life. While many were aware of the building processes, they didn’t know about the role of an Architect. Spreading the word as we go..

18th February 2022; 10:00 am: A session on ‘Mera Ghar’, in Madhabpur village. It highlighted our compilation of common building practises, triggered insightful conversations and brought to light many issues that the people have been facing with respect to their homes and other common facilities. They also aspire to have their own Community Centre and are trying to source funds for the same.

18th February 2022; 9:00 am: A heartwarming visit to Madhabpur village with Mallabhum Prayas, an NGO based in Bishnupur, West Bengal. Architect Gita interacted with the local community and a women’s self-help group and was also treated to a beautiful cultural performance.

17th February 2022; 11:00 am: Architect Gita spent time with the women staff at Banalata Resort, Joypur, West Bengal. Anjali, Mita, Pakhi, Bandana among others seen here shared their stories with us today. The resort has its own organic farm and vegetable garden and generates employment for the local populace in the region. Joypur is home to a beautiful forest whose main habitants include Cheetal (spotted deer), wild fox, wolf and elephants.

17th February 2022; 11:00 am:

The ‘Walk for Arcause’ campaign features on Scop Up.

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16th February 2022; 12:00 pm: Informal interactions are a great way of connecting with local people. Architect Gita spent time interacting with a gathering of laypersons to understand their awareness and perspectives on the design profession. She briefly explained to them, the role that architects and designers play in society.

16th February 2022; 10:00 am: Architect Gita successfully completed her first stretch of 100 kilometers towards Delhi. She walked through the Arambagh district today meeting people and spreading awareness about the design professions as she walked.

15th February 2022; 10:00 am: Career in Design is often less explored by students while they make their choices for higher education. Through our open-source presentation ‘Design as a Career’, we hope to make the many professions in design known to school students to help them make more informed career choices. Today Architect Gita took ‘Design as a Career’ to Arambagh Vivekananda Academy. Many more to schools to go ..

15th February 2022; 08:00 am: Local Interactions at Champadanga

Architect Gita Balakrishnan interacts with care givers Mitu and Reena who went from door to door spreading awareness, ensuring proper care was given and quarantine procedures were followed. 

We salute their spirit and that of thousands of other healthcare workers who keep the country going!

14th February 2022; 4:13 pm: The ‘Walk for Arcause’ campaign features in the Times of India today.

Read More here.

14th February 2022; 10:00 am: Exploring at Antpur, a village in the Hooghly District of West Bengal known for its oldest thatch hut. The village is named after Atar Khan who was a zamindar of the area. The most famous temple of the area- The Radhagobind Temple, is one of the oldest brick temples known for its height.

14th February 2022; 10:00 am: Reva College of Architecture organizes guided tours, activities and much more as a collaborative of the Walk for Arcause campaign.

Hoping for similar exciting activities in the future!

14th February 2022; 10:00 am: Dayananda Sagar College of Architecture organizes competitions, activities and much more as a collaborative of the Walk for Arcause campaign.

Hoping for similar exciting activities in the future!

13th February 2022; 08:00 am: The campaign pays tribute to the millions of workers who form the backbone of the construction industry in India and students who will shape the future of our built environment. Prasanta is a carpenter and has been in the profession for the last 20years, after learning the skill from his father. His son is pursuing mathematics. He didn’t want his son to follow his profession, instead wanted him to study more and be a good human being. The pandemic was tough for him, but finally things are getting back on track and he is hopeful. Vijay has been a mason for a long time. His children are pursuing Computer Science Engineering. He works for an architect who conveys to him, designs and tasks on paper. During the pandemic, he went back to his village, unemployed and waited for another job so that he could run his household properly.

13th February 2022; 08:00 am: The ‘Walk for Arcause’ campaign was successfully flagged off from the Victoria Memorial, Kolkata today! The ceremony was represented by members of the architecture and design community, students and construction workers. Vijay, a mason and Prasanta, a carpenter, by profession, both from Kolkata along with 5 students representing Jadavpur University, Techno India University, Amity University in Kolkata and IIEST Shibpur successfully flagged off Architect Gita Balakrishnan’s mammoth journey.

12th February 2022; 08:00 am: A group of history and culture enthusiasts came together to walk through the heart of Kolkata. Ar. Shubhayan, an avid researcher and writer, who collects experiences for a living, took the group through the streets of Kolkata, engaging in a dialogue on how changing perspectives, demography, economy and politics shaped Kolkata’s cityscape. This event marks the beginning of many events planned on route and across the country during the ‘Walk for Arcause’ Campaign.