What are we learning here?
When stuck in a situation, a question we end up asking is, are we looking at the problem correctly? Are we listening to all the data that is available to us? Not just our head, but also what our heart and body are sensing? Who else is looking at the problem like we are? How do I connect and better my self awareness and that of the system I seek to change?
Agamishaala is a space to enable such learnings.
Completely rooted in one’s own experience, what we learn at Shaala, are new ways to see the challenges we face. We practise ways to sense the field of justice we inhabit together, and listen for where true innovation can emerge. And use these learnings to shift the way we lead and advance ideas that serve justice.
Details regarding the next edition of Agamishaala will be shared soon. In case this is a process and space that interests you, do fill out the form below.
We have been documenting our learnings from Shaala on our Substack page 'Dekha Seekha' Click here to take a peek!
Agamishaala Members
Agamishaala has evolved, much like the cohorts through the years
Meet the August 2023 Cohort
Co-founder, XKDR Forum
Co-lead, PUCAR
Founder/CEO, One Future Collective
President and CEO, Wildlife Conservation Trust
Founder and Director, SAFAR
Founder – Director, Madhyastham
CTO, Zerodha
Ex Civil Servant
Lead-OpenNyAI, CEO – Sampatti Card
Restorative Practices Facilitator, Enfold
CEO & Co-founder, Gram Vaani
Co-ordinator for Government, SAMA
VP – Growth & Partnerships, eGov Foundation
Product Head, Lawyered
Founder, Zensei Leadership Pvt. Ltd.
Co-founder, CORD/TERES
Co-founder, resolutio
Research Associate, Centre for Social Justice
Founder, Flockby; Trustee, Conservation India
Professor and ED, Clinical Programmes and Co-Director, Centre for Legal Empowerment of the Poor
Meet the April 2023 Cohort
Director, Law Foundation
India Head, Tech4Dev
Founder, Veditum
Senior Producer, Khabar Lahariya
Founder, Digital Empowerment Foundation
Researcher/Editor
Associate Director, Indus Action
Founder and CEO, ezyLegal
Freelancer, Solutions Journalism
Senior Research Associate, xKDR
Founder and CEO, Samata Centre
Child Rights Lawyer, Advisor Delhi SLSA; Member, Core Group on Children, NHRC
Child Protection Officer, UNICEF
Lead Data Scientist, Thoughtworks
Director, Ashiyana Foundation
Co-Lead, Digital Courts
Co-Founder, CORD/TERES
Director – Network Engagement, Youth Interventions, Gram Vaani
Founder, Aadiwasi Janjagruti
Meet the 2022 Cohort
Partner, Chakravarty Samson and Munoth
Former Judge, Board member – Satya Pro-bono law
Co-lead, OpenNyAI
State Legal Co-ordinator, Jansahas
Co-founder, Zariya
Prime Mover – Prolawgue.com; Innovation Team, Khaitan & Co.
Executive Director, Counsel to Secure Justice
COO, Manupatra
Founder, Youth Ki Awaaz
Lead Case Manager, CAMP
Program Director, iProbono
Managing Trustee, Dhwani Legal Trust
Founder and Programme Director, Parichay
IAS
Professor of Law, National Law University Odisha
Industry Analyst, Indian Legal tech
Tribal Leader, Gujarat
Co-founder and Research Lead, Dignity in Difference
Director, Kotda Adivasi Sansthan
Co-Founder, Project Second Chance
Meet the 2021 Cohort
Co-Founder, Zenith: Society for Socio-Legal Empowerment
Assistant Director & Junior Fellow, IDFC Institute/Access to Justice
Creative Producer, Kabir Khan Films Pvt Ltd
Head, Legal Aid and Advocacy Cell – Aajeevika Bureau
Weaver, Agami
Managing Partner, Ikigai Law
Founder and CEO, TrustIn
Chief Technology Officer, Sama
Founder, Landryt
Lead (Judicial Reforms) and Senior Resident Fellow, Vidhi Centre for Legal Policy
Founder, Legistify
Operations and Digital Security Manager, Internet Freedom Foundation
Co-Founder, Zenith Society for Socio-Legal Empowerment
Creative Head/ Co-Founder, Lawctopus/ Unpadh Wakeel
Producer and Chief Editor, Nirantar The Third Eye
Co-founder, Bolti Bandh
Head of Operations, Sama
Associate Partner, Dalberg Advisors
Co Founder & Director, Studio Nilima
Former Judge, Madras High Court
Group General Counsel, ICICI Bank
Director, Transerve Technologies Pvt Ltd
Founding Member, Project 39A
Co-Founder and Partner, Ooloi Labs
Co-Founder, CORD
Sector Lead, CivicDataLab
Curator, Agami
Head, Restorative Practices, Enfold Proactive Health Trust
Meet the 2019 Cohort
Co-Founder and Chief Legal Officer, Sama
Executive Director, Internet Freedom Foundation
Co-Founder, Civis
Executive Director, Project 39A
Co-Founder and CEO, Sama
Executive Director, AALI
Co-Founder and Director, Vahura
Content Manager, Civic Studios
Co-Founder, Lawctopus
Co-Founder and Mediator, CAMP
CEO, LawSikho
Founder, SuperLawyer
Superintendent of Prisons, Telangana
Founder, SpicyIP and IDIA
Co-Founder, World Law Forum
Co-Founder, Agami
Meet the Curators
Who can take part?
Application to Agamishaala is by invite only. In some years, existing Agamishaala members also send out ‘Peer Invites’ to people who we think would benefit from and add to the experience. These are:
- Justice innovators who recognise that the most critical site of change is internal
- Are at an inflection point i.e at a critical turning point in their own lives and that of the work they are leading
- Curious about new ways of learning
- Seeking a community of peers they can connect with through the course of their entrepreneurial journey
- Can come from a variety of fields such as law, technology, media, social justice, research and advocacy, etc.
- Are comfortable with a mix of Hindi and English as languages of communication.
How is the learning journey designed?
The way learnings are enabled is by completely grounding them in a member’s own experience. There are no theoretical discussions and all insights come from what you discover about yourself through different activities. What is offered are guidelines, questions and context to the experience that is curated to help you reconnect with your core motivations, surface assumptions that create challenges for you and reveal insights that help to lead better and advance your work. All this within a safe space and with a community of people who share similar vulnerabilities and different strengths. For different groups, we design differently, with a combination of online to in-person sessions or only online or in-person sessions.
What has been the experience of people who have been a part of Agamishaala?
What we have discovered is that each one’s experience and takeaways have been unique. It is how openly each one leans into the process that changes what they learn from it.
Frequently Asked Questions
Answered by the Shaala community
Avanti Durani, Artha India Research Advisors
How do the sessions help in sensing the system?
Anup Surendranath, Project 39A
Can you share an example of insights revealed through the work done at Shaala?
Shivani, Internet Freedom Foundation
What should I expect from a Shaala journey?
Pramod Rao, ICICI Bank
“What did you value most in the Shaala experience?”
Santosh Poonia, Ajeevika Bureau
“What are the Agamishaala practises like?”
Badarivishal Kinhal, CORD
“What is being part of the Agamishaala community like?”
Where does Agamishaala happen?
And other frequently asked questions
Got a question?
No problem.
In case we’ve not answered your questions in the FAQ or other parts of this page, feel free to reach out to us with your queries.
What is the process of selection?
Every year, Agami extends an exclusive invitation to apply to a curated list of justice innovators in the field. Having done the journey themselves, in some cycles, existing Agamishaala members also send out ‘Peer Invites’ to those who they think will benefit and add to the experience. Those invited to apply are then required to fill a short application form and send it in by the deadline. The team then evaluates the applications and selects a list of people for the next stage of interviews, either with an Agami team member or a past Agamishaala member. Based on the interviews, the members are confirmed. Members who have been part of a past Agamishaala, can’t re-apply.
What kind of support is included for Agamishaala members?
We believe we can most effectively support leaders in building their capacity through a combination of personal growth and community support. To that end, each Agamishaala member is eligible to receive:
- guidance from facilitators as part of Agamishaala;
- resources, and help from Team Agami as and when;
- key introductions to relevant network members based on need;
- access to ‘Agamishaala United’, the larger network of all Agamishaala members both online and at the annual retreat;
- Supported Passes for the Agami Summit
Where does Agamishaala happen?
We design differently for different groups.
For the next edition, we are curating Agamishaala as an in-person to online experience running actively for 3 months. A grand retreat for all Agamishaala members, across the years, will take place in-person at ‘Agamishaala United’ right before the Agami Summit. Post that, curated spaces and sessions to deepen your learnings and connect with the community will be available to you to continue as you wish.
Is there a participation fee?
No, there is no participation fee for Agamishaala. Agami will take care of hosting you at the in-person retreat in August (3n/4d) 2023 and at ‘Agamishaala United’ (1d/1n night stay) right before the Agami Summit in December 2023. However, travel costs will have to be borne by the participants themselves. Exceptions may be considered.
What is expected from an Agamishaala participant?
Specific expectations and time commitments include:
- Full and engaged participation during the 3 months.
- Approximately two to three hours each month for sessions, activities, and wellbeing check-ins. We will try and do most online sessions on weekends barring major conflicts.
- Active communication with Team Agami as needed between monthly check-ins.
- Annual surveys, testimonials and data collection through December 2023- March 2024.
What if I am unsure if Agamishaala is for me?
Let’s talk 🙂 Feel free to write and reach out to us for a conversation about the experience before you fill in your application form. We want you to feel comfortable about applying, and also curious and excited about what lies ahead but may not be fully visible just now…
What are the Agamishaala Membership and Community Guidelines
As a peer learning space, how each of us show up as members influences the other’s learning experience. Therefore, we follow the simple guidelines of right speech, thought and action in engaging with each other, the space and the collective.
We aspire to be both a courageous and caring community. We prioritize the felt safe space nature of all engagements and experiences we are a part of. In case of any violations, our processes will seek to honour that. To arrive at an informed response, we will explore best possible methods depending upon the situation – through community best practices, value-based frameworks, and/or legal frameworks where needed. Where we fall short, our intention will always be to learn and grow this space with the community.