About YUVANITI
Youth uniting for vision, action, nation-building, innovation, transformation and inclusion.
Our Story
YUVANITI began with a cricket injury.
Achyut Tripathi’s sporting ambitions ended earlier than he had planned. Rather than stopping there, he began teaching children in a slum near Nishatganj, Lucknow — an hour a day, with a few friends, basic lessons and a samosa at the end of it.
That became Swapna Foundation in 2019. Six years on, it runs eight volunteer-led programmes across Uttar Pradesh, from street classrooms to animal welfare to water conservation.
YUVANITI grew out of a conversation those volunteers kept having: young people had views on how the state was run, and no route to the people running it. In 2021 we built that route. It is called Yuva Samwaad.
Who we are & what we do
- Recognising and celebrating youth creating measurable social impact.
- Conducting policy dialogues and roundtable discussions with policymakers and experts.
- Offering internships and exposure across fields to build leadership and practical skills.
- Promoting innovation labs and community action projects that turn ideas into impact.
- Focusing on personality development, public leadership and participatory governance.
Our Journey
A dated record of what we have actually done.
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2019
Swapna Foundation founded
Started in Lucknow by Achyut Tripathi, growing out of volunteer teaching in the city’s slums.
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2020
Mission Hands Together
COVID-19 relief across Uttar Pradesh — rations, safety kits, sanitary napkins and feeding drives.
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2021
Yuva Samwaad, first edition
Youth in direct dialogue with serving ministers of the Government of Uttar Pradesh. Covered by Amar Ujala on 16 September 2021.
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2024
Yuva Samwaad 2.0
A second, larger edition — multiple sessions across governance, women’s empowerment and civic life.
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2025
National platforms
Represented at the Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue and the SOUL Leadership Conclave, New Delhi.
About the Founder
Achyut Tripathi
Founder, Swapna Foundation · Administrative and Managing Head
Achyut Tripathi founded Swapna Foundation in 2019 and leads its flagship youth-policy initiative, YUVANITI. He is a graduate of the University of Lucknow.
He played competitive cricket until an injury ended it — the turning point that started the foundation. He has stayed close to sport since: he is Managing Director of Khelpro Bharat and Programme Director of the Bharat Kabaddi League.
His work centres on one idea: that young people are more useful to the country as participants in governance than as an audience for it.
Recognition
- Felicitated by the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh for the Water Brigade water-conservation programme.
- Acknowledged by the Office of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India for youth engagement work.
- Felicitated by the Minister of Jal Shakti, Government of Uttar Pradesh, for water conservation.
- Felicitated by the Minister of Tourism & Culture, Government of Uttar Pradesh, for heritage site conservation.
- Delegate, Viksit Bharat Young Leaders Dialogue, New Delhi.
- Participant, SOUL Leadership Conclave 2025, Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
- Has spoken at universities and colleges across India.
The Force Behind YUVANITI
YUVANITI is run by a small team based in Lucknow. Each person here owns a specific part of the work — the dialogues, the ground programmes, the outreach, and the people who make them happen.
These are the people you will actually be dealing with.
- Photograph to follow
Achyut Tripathi.
Achyut Tripathi
Administrative and Managing Head
Founded Swapna Foundation in 2019 and leads YUVANITI.
- Photograph to follow
Saksham Srivastava.
Saksham Srivastava
Executive Head
Runs day-to-day operations across both organisations.
- Photograph to follow
Shikhar Khanna.
Shikhar Khanna
Human Resources and Expansion
Volunteers, interns and taking the work to new campuses.
- Photograph to follow
Nabeel Ashraf.
Nabeel Ashraf
PR, Events and Outreach
Press, partnerships and the running of Yuva Samwaad.
- Photograph to follow
Ishan Asif.
Ishan Asif
Street Kaksha and Project Margdarshan
Leads the street-education and mentoring programmes.
- Photograph to follow
Shivam Dixit.
Shivam Dixit
Bhumitra Initiative
Leads the environmental programme.
- Photograph to follow
Pawani Awasthi.
Pawani Awasthi
Paw Rangers and Co-curricular Activities
Leads animal welfare and co-curricular work.
- Photograph to follow
Shrestha Shukla.
Shrestha Shukla
Project Umang
Leads Project Umang.
Transparency
YUVANITI operates as an initiative of Swapna Foundation, Lucknow.
- Parent organisation
- Swapna Foundation, Lucknow
- Operating since
- 2019
- Registration
- To be published
- NGO Darpan ID
- To be published
- 12A / 80G / CSR-1
- To be published
We publish our registration details here as they are confirmed. For documentation, write to us. Contact · Swapna Foundation, Lucknow