You know that moment when your housing society bans something totally normal but allows something unhinged? And your gut just screams, “WHO APPROVED THIS?” Congratulations — that scream is the first step to changing the world. Or at least your building WhatsApp group. Most of us take that scream straight to the group chat and call it a day. Sandeep took it somewhere far more useful. Here’s the full story of what he did with it.

And that’s exactly what Season 2 of Impact Shift Series captures — a series that explores the journeys of people who chose to step beyond conventional career paths and build a future in sustainability. Through honest conversations, we uncover what inspired their shift, the challenges they faced, and the lessons they learned along the way.

In this episode, Avnee Kokatay, founder of Green Pistachio, sits down with Sandeep Nayak, founder and CEO of Yuva Voice for Welfare Foundation, to talk about what grassroots activism is actually like.

You know how the scream feels great? Sandeep’s job is everything that comes next — calling out traditions that should’ve been shown the door years ago, stopping child marriage, putting kids in classrooms instead of workplaces, helping women claim their space, and ending child labour. Basically, all the things the rest of us tweet about and then go back to scrolling. He does it in person, with actual humans, some of whom are not thrilled to see him.

The episode digs into the chaos of ground-level change — and why “but my intentions were good” is not a personality.

Every Big Shift Starts Somewhere

That “big idea” you keep bringing up over chai — the one you’ve been “planning” for longer than your current profile picture has been up — is still, somehow, in the planning stage. Meanwhile, there’s a man who was changing the world at 15. Fifteen. An age when you were still deciding which filter to use. Sit with that.

And while you’re at it, keep an eye out for that “WHO APPROVED THIS?” moment in your housing society. The group chat isn’t going to fix it. But you might.

Sandeep didn’t wait for a degree, a budget, or anyone’s permission—he took his first step at 15. So, what’s stopping you? Here’s how you can turn that discomfort into something useful:

  • Join them in the field: Volunteer for direct community outreach and workshops with the Yuva Voice for Welfare team.
  • Lend your skills: Share your expertise to power their campaigns.
  • Bring it home: Mobilise your own school, college, or residential society to launch local awareness drives.

You can reach out directly to Sandeep and the team to get involved:

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