Archana K R - Past Work

Area of expertise

I aim to pave the pathways for leadership and dignity for the marginalised sections of our society. For this to not be a distant reality, I co-design solutions where they themselves lead the change they seek.

Building Movements

Design and lead campaigns that bring governments, institutions, and citizens together to solve systemic issues affecting the marginalised.

Mobilizing people

Foster purpose-driven communities that connect individuals and organisations working in isolation to enable shared learning and collective impact.

Storytelling

Unearth and amplify stories of resilience and change, while sharing my own, to shift public narratives.

Past work and Highlights

My journey has been about creating systemic change through community power, policy advocacy, and grassroots action. Below are some key initiatives:

100 crore victory

I audited 300+ government schools across Karnataka and found that:

64% of toilets were unusable
This led to high dropout rates among adolescent girls aged 11–13

So, I leveraged technology, data, and community power.

Collected 57,000+ signatures for my online petition
Petitioned Karnataka’s Minister of Primary and Secondary Education
Achieved a ₹100 crore budget allocation for school toilet maintenance and clean drinking water, a first in Karnataka

Safe, functional, clean toilets along NH-75

While travelling on NH-75, I walked into a public toilet and found that

42 toilets along NH-75 were in disrepair
14 of these were built under the Swachh Bharat Mission
No signboards, security, or running water
Broken locks, poor hygiene, and no facilities for women
Women were forced to suppress the urge to urinate, risking serious infections

I launched an online petition demanding safe, functional toilets for women

Filed an RTI to expose the condition of SBM toilets
1,29,230 signatures collected

Bengaluru public toilets sanitation workers

I, along with my team, inspected public toilets across Bengaluru. Our extensive survey uncovered critical gaps:

75% of toilets lacked proper locks and latches
91% were missing basic amenities like running water and cleaning materials
66% of the interview cleaning staff worked without protective gear, often without regular wages

By bringing these issues to light through a structured report and media coverage, we created a strong case for systemic improvements in safety, hygiene, and inclusivity, paving the way for better public sanitation infrastructure in the city.

Arrest of the accused responsible for stripping and assaulting two women in Manipur

When a horrifying video surfaced showing two women from the Kuki tribe in Manipur being stripped and assaulted by a mob

No arrests were made for over two months
Law enforcement and government machinery were silent and inactive
The incident was part of wider ethnic violence in Manipur, where over 160 people had been killed and thousands displaced

I launched an online petition demanding the immediate arrest of the perpetrators

1,52,000+ citizens nationwide joined the petition
Former Maharashtra DGP, Dattatray Padsalgikar, appointed to oversee the CBI investigation

A committee of three retired women High Court judges was formed to oversee the Manipur violence

Bapuji Nagar constituency from 2021 to 2023

Focused on good governance, democratic participation, and community empowerment, I worked in the Bapuji Nagar constituency, Bengaluru, solving local issues alongside residents and creating opportunities to meet their needs. A few highlights include:

Facilitated vaccination for 889 people through local camps
Ran Pothole Habba campaign → 50 potholes fixed through active follow-up
Facilitated 126 Seva Sindhu applications for COVID compensation

15 programmes designed to equip young people with the skills to become civic leaders and social entrepreneurs.

I, along with my team, designed the ‘I Am the Change’ programme for the Social Welfare Department, Government of Karnataka, now implemented in Bangalore Rural KREIS (Karnataka Residential Educational Institutions Society) schools. This initiative empowered marginalised students to identify their strengths, develop local solutions, and engage in policy and research to address community challenges.

Work with Reap Benefit

Spearheaded community-driven governance initiatives by actively engaging people at the grassroots in problem-solving, advocacy, and grassroots action. Some key campaigns include:

PHC audit: Crowdsourced health data from 11 districts to identify gaps in primary health centres
Covid ninja: Mobilised citizens during COVID to map resources, spread verified information, and address vaccine hesitancy