Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy

Janaagraha Centre for Citizenship and Democracy is a nonprofit organization founded in 2001 and headquartered in Bengaluru. It works at the intersection of citizen engagement, urban governance, and democratic accountability, partnering with municipal governments and civil society to build more participatory and transparent cities. Janaagraha runs several flagship initiatives including iJanadesh (participatory budgeting), BPAC (Bangalore Political Action Committee), and the iChangeMyCity platform, which enables youth to identify and solve civic problems in their communities. The organization has worked across multiple Indian cities and has trained thousands of citizens, students, and public officials in civic processes. The organization is co-founded by Ramesh Ramanathan and Swati Ramanathan and has been recognized as one of India's most credible voices on urban democracy. Janaagraha's research and advocacy work influences national-level urban policy and local governance reform.