What’s Up Bharat

What’s up Bharat is a hub, network and new media platform that delivers services for people who want social change in India by democratizing innovations and best practices in art, new media, entrepreneurship and social justice. Our tagline is Art-Ideas-Action or Kala-Kalpana-Karma.
Our mission is to connect the youth of India with the resources/networks they need and to inspire, engage and empower them on social change through art, ideas and action. We are creating a new system based on:
• Multi-format physical hub for arts/retail and various events
• Online hub for media, polling and communities on social issues
• Three services – Arts, Media and Programs – under one brand
• Network of artists, college associates and NGO partners, and focused outreach efforts towards excluded segments of the population
Our physical hub, called the Jai Bharat Centre, is a 5000 square feet multi-format event and interaction space located at One Hauz Khas Village, in the cultural hub of Delhi. Spread across three floors (plus an upcoming rooftop cafe) the space is used for arts & retail, co-working, media and events/programs for civic engagement including a regular schedule of our own events (forums, workshops, screenings and performances) and different programs with partners. We rent space to many small NGOs at nominal cost and our activities are revenue neutral, employing a cross-subsidy model, balancing revenue generation with outreach and impact. The goal is to create a unique physical hub for ‘the motivated youth’.
The online hub www.whatsupbharat.in is a Web 2.0 community and a new media platform with issues based polling, curated multimedia and link to programs, providing seamless online-offline integration with JBC’s events and exhibitions as well as a connected, national web community of college users and various media and program partners who can share content and exchange with each other in multiple ways leveraging our services.
Our goal is to create an eco-system where both hubs work together to unite people across social, cultural, economic and other boundaries, creating a unique databank and network that give the new generation the inspiration, engagement and empowerment needed to effect change on the issues that affect us all – freedom, inclusion and unity in India.

To deliver on our mission and goals, we are organised into three areas – Art (Inspiration), Media (Engagement) and Programs (Empowerment):
• Inspiration – using art to connect across socio-economic divides
• Engagement – through innovative polling and multimedia curation
• Empowerment – through programs (forums, workshops, campaigns)
The core of our model is our unique “Pew Plus” polling and data analytics platform, through which we partner with experts to create independent polls and disseminate neutral, fact-based research on relevant social issues. Our platform provides an open interface to all users where they can explore poll results (to individual questions) and further engage with social issues through curated media (produced by us, partners and user-submitted) and, uniquely, an offline link to JBC programs as well as programs/resources offered by our partners in key issue areas.
We are launching our services in a phased manner through 2012, starting with the beta web platform in March and hosting regular art exhibitions, retail sales as well as many interesting programs and events at JBC as we develop our model further to create a sustainable, scalable and impact based organisation that pushes the boundaries of ‘social enterprise’.
Please visit us at http://www.whatsupbharat.in and at the Jai Bharat Centre if in Delhi.