Anshu Bhaiya, through Goonj, positions the under-utilized urban material as a development resource for the rural parts of India. A Ramon Magsaysay Awardee, he has been instrumental in transforming the culture of giving in India. He was one of the first strong support systems in the journey of Youth Alliance and has always pushed us to keep doing what we do and to always bank on our common sense.

Asking difficult questions, exemplary participation, incessant commitment to live simply and value-based leadership are among many legacies that Youth Alliance has been blessed with, due to Dev Bhaiya’s presence. He currently mentors many social enterprises and also runs an intensive fellowship called Anant-Zameer. In the past he has lead the Indicorps Fellowship.

Shaheen was the first person who inspired Prakhar as an embodiment of service during his TFI days. From her, he learnt to genuinely acknowledge and value people and, relationships, which can be seen at the core of YA as well. Before Teach For India, Shaheen founded the Akanksha Foundation and has now earned global recognition for her commitment to educational equity.

Sadanand Ji is an embodiment of listening with curiosity and being present. Around him, we experience the freedom to explore our own selves and ideas. To a lot of us, going to him intensifies our search for meaning or more precisely as he says, search for our स्वधर्म: (swadharma). Sadanand Ji is a founder of Mount Madonna Center, California and a senior teacher at Mount Madonna School.

Ravi Bhaiya does magic for us each time he is part of the circles at YA. He has a way to move deep strings in the hearts of people that let them access a sacred inner space. Walking with him, each member in the team has emerged a better version of oneself. Ravi Bhaiya created a learning space called Manzil where every student is a teacher and every teacher a student.

Jayesh Bhai’s life and gift at Manav Sadhna and Moved by Love is a manifestation of ‘Invisible service is love made visible’. He says ‘Don’t carry these heavy loads to change the world, do the work that is connected to your heart and you’ll become like an instrument of nature.’ We are grateful to be able to make an annual pilgrimage to Sabarmati Ashram and learn from his ceaseless effort to live the values he believes in.

Vivek Bhaiya’s mentoring style has been one of the challenges for us as it has put us in a stretch zone time and again, but it has enabled us to draw from our deepest sources of strength and find new horizons. He is one of the founding members of Kaivalya Education Foundation and currently the Program Director - Alumni Program at Gandhi Fellowship and brings two decades of experience in the social sector and media.