With her contagious smile, passion for change and her tell-it-like-it-is words, Aishwaraya Kalro is a college student who has paved her path — she is the founder of Social Pukar, a one-of-its kind website and social initiative.
Social Pukar - The Social Call for One and All, as its tagline suggests, brings NGOs, social activists, change-makers, and the unsung heroes of society to the limelight. Through her website, Aishwaraya creates awareness about social causes and sensitises the Indian community on existing social evils. “I believe in empathising, not sympathising,” she expresses her intentions.
“Media is a powerful medium,” believes Aishwaraya Kalro, who interned at a prestigious English news channel in Mumbai, where she led a glamorous life interviewing celebrities. “I won’t deny it; I had a blast in Mumbai! On my way back to Chennai, however, I realised that there is a section of society that is alienated from the mainstream community and media — the underprivileged. Why shouldn’t I use my passion and ability to write to bring them to the limelight?” There was no looking back after that. True to her words, in 2016, she did just what she said.
As Social Pukar successfully crosses the one-year mark, it has featured articles on various social issues like AIDS, child labour and domestic violence. She adds, “I’ve also done a story on dyslexia, because in our country, many people live in ignorance about those with learning disabilities.” Social Pukar believes in positive news, upliftment and motivation. “I added the Changemakers section, to give hope even to the hopeless.” She kickstarted a YouTube channel for Social Pukar where she produced a motivational series for cancer patients.
Being an approachable person, she has always kept her doors open, which works to her advantage when she needs to set up interactions. “I can’t recall a case where I approached someone for an interview and they said no. Every NGO wants promotion for the good work they’re doing, and we are happy to give it to them.”
How hard is it for her? “I must admit that it can get difficult for one person to run the show. But at the end of the day, I’m a self-made woman and that’s a priceless feeling!”
The not-for-profit website has received a phenomenally warm response from the public, and she credits the support of her family and readers for her success. Social Pukar prepares to break new ground and register as an NGO, making it a unique one, with prior digital presence.
