YSI Conference 2020: Finding Ourselves in the Other
“The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
— Mahatma Gandhi
In March 2020, just before the world shut down, the Youth Social Innovation (YSI) Conference asked a powerful question:
“How might we find ourselves in relation to each other and the world around us?”
YSI 2020 was more than a gathering — it was an invitation to step outside our familiar circles, connect with “the other,” and discover that true wellbeing doesn’t come from isolation, but from empathy, shared experience, and human connection.
Inspired by Gandhian values and Indian Knowledge Systems (IKS), this third edition brought together 49 students from urban and rural colleges across Karnataka, all committed to exploring how serving others could transform their own lives
Event Details
Conference Name | YSI Conference 2020 |
Theme | “How might we find ourselves in relation to each other and the world around us?” |
Date | March 7, 2020 |
Location | Srushti Degree College, Bangalore |
Format | In-person |
Participants | 49 students |
Institutions Involved | Colleges across Bangalore (urban & rural) |
Collaborating Organizations | Bangalore North University, Gandhi Bhavana, Karnataka |
The Challenge That Sparked Change
Many students felt disconnected — not just from faculty, but from society beyond campus. Their worlds were limited to classrooms, homes, and phones.
They asked:
What happens when we step into someone else’s life? Can helping others help us grow?
Drawing from Gandhi’s teaching — “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others” — they designed four-week projects focused on connection, empathy, and co-creation.
The result? Transformative experiences that changed how they saw themselves — and others.
Innovative Models Born in 2020
Two powerful student-led models emerged from this conference.
1. Discovering Ability Through Connection
Team: Suchitra, Swathi, Shalini, Shakthi Prasad
College: Srushti Degree College
The Problem
After attending a friend’s wedding late at night, one team member was scolded by her parents. She realized: Our lives are confined — family, college, friends. We don’t truly see the lives of others.
They wondered: Can connecting with differently abled children expand our understanding of ability and self-worth?
The Solution
The team visited a special needs center and engaged children in weekly art-based activities:
- Drawing and painting sessions
- Storytelling circles
- Collaborative crafts
Instead of seeing them as “challenged,” they began to see their resilience, joy, and talent.
The Impact
- Students discovered hidden strengths within themselves — many joined theater and dance clubs.
- They stopped defining people by limitations and started seeing potential.
- A shift occurred: “We went to teach children who were challenged — but returned as students of resilience, joy, and what it means to be truly capable.”
— Shalini, Srushti Degree College
“Co-creating well-being happens when we deeply look into the problems, and it will direct us to the actual place of a problem arising, leading us to a simple solution.”
— Mehrufa, Jame ul Uloom Institute
2. Digital Detox: Rebuilding Face-to-Face Connections
Team: Shantha, Sharulatha, Bhagya Shree
College: Maharani Cluster University
The Problem
Phones had replaced real conversations. Friends sat together but scrolled silently. Even in class, eyes were glued to screens.
They asked: How can we bring back meaningful face-to-face interaction in a digital world?
The Solution
They launched a four-week Digital Detox Project with engaging offline activities:
- Board game nights
- Comic book reading circles
- Collaborative sketching and drawing
- Oral storytelling about family histories
Each week invited deeper sharing and reduced phone dependence.
The Impact
- Friendships deepened through authentic dialogue.
- Students rediscovered talents overshadowed by screen time.
- Trust grew as they shared personal stories without filters.
“We didn’t force anyone to change — we simply created moments so engaging that phones no longer felt necessary.”
— Sharulatha, Maharani Cluster University
“Through this project, I discovered my hidden strengths and realized that deeper bonds happen in person, not online.”
— Bhagya Shree
Conference Highlights
Chairperson: Ms. Jane Sahe, Former Faculty, Azim Premji University
“Today in the age of individualism, there is a big difference between being an individual and becoming one who seeks to uncover their true identity in relation to the needs of others. The challenge is: How can we find ourselves in the other?”
Chief Guests:
- Dr. Indira Krishnappa, Secretary, Gandhi Bhavana, Bangalore
Praised students for conducting action research and said:“All students who have participated in this YSI conference will become role models in society.”
- Dr. Meena Deshpande, Honorary Director, Bharathiya Vidya Bhavan
Noted the underlying principle of love in every student’s action.
- Dr. Indira Krishnappa, Secretary, Gandhi Bhavana, Bangalore
YSI Student Fellows: Lavanya Nagaraj, Aishwarya, Sharulatha
Key Insight Explored:
Wellbeing grows through connection. When we serve others not out of pity, but with openness, we discover parts of ourselves we never knew existed.Reflective Practice Papers: Every participant wrote about their journey — turning empathy into insight, and service into wisdom.
Why YSI 2020 Mattered
This wasn’t just about community service — it was about mutual transformation.
From YSI 2020, we learned:
- Helping others isn’t charity — it’s co-learning
- Wellbeing isn’t inward-looking — it expands through shared humanity
- Empathy breaks barriers faster than any lecture
- Simple solutions — like drawing together — can heal invisible wounds
As Lakshmi Hariharan says:
“We went to teach children who were challenged — but returned as students of resilience, joy, and what it means to be truly capable.”
And Jane Sahe beautifully added:
“The moment you start looking at the world through another’s eyes, you begin to flourish.”
Legacy of YSI 2020
- Laid the foundation for future empathy-driven projects
- Proved that offline connections could thrive even in a digital age
- Inspired the Digital Detox Week, now adopted by multiple campuses
- Strengthened partnerships with Gandhi Bhavana, which continued supporting YSI
It showed that real growth doesn’t happen in comfort zones — it happens when we dare to step into someone else’s world… and realize how much we share.
