Akancha Srivastava Foundation

Last updated
Akancha Srivastava Foundation
FounderAkancha Srivastava
Founded at Maharashtra
TypePublic Cyber Safety or Public Safety
Registration no.U93090MH2017NPL301263
Legal status Not-For-Profit
PurposeImpact, Education & Social change
Location
Website akanchasrivastava.org

Akancha Srivastava Foundation is an 80G certified, non-profit organization established in 2017 by Akancha Srivastava. [1] The Foundation works across India to promote cyber safety education and digital empowerment. [2]

Contents

History

Akancha Srivastava Foundation was established in 2017 to address the urgent national need for structured cyber safety education and digital literacy. Since then, the Foundation has built one of India’s largest grassroots movements in this domain. [1] It has conducted over 1,000 workshops across schools, colleges, universities, and professional institutions, reaching millions of students, parents, educators, and working professionals. [3]

The Foundation has formally collaborated with multiple state police departments across India to develop training modules, conduct joint awareness drives, and assist in complaint redressal mechanisms. It has also trained members of the Indian Army in cyber awareness and digital forensics. [4] Senior educators and government officials, including IAS officers, have supported and contributed to the Foundation’s programs, making it a significant force in institutional cyber safety education. [5]

Activities

Akancha Srivastava Foundation works to address a broad range of cyber threats including cyber harassment, [6] cyber stalking, [7] Cyberbullying [8] cyber grooming, morphing, blackmail, [9] Voyeurism, online impersonation, financial crimes, deepfakes, and digital detention. [10]

The Foundation previously operated a 24x7 helpline that was recognized and supported by police departments across several Indian states, providing real-time assistance to individuals in distress. [11]

Akancha Srivastava Foundation also facilitates coordination with law enforcement agencies and relevant institutions to support victims of cyber-crime and ensure timely resolution. [11]

Campaign & Awareness

AI-Powered Digital Assistant

It was launched in 2018 and developed in collaboration with Haptik, this AI-driven tool was designed to educate users about various forms of cyber threats and guide them on appropriate response mechanisms. [12] It featured an integrated SOS functionality that enabled users to establish direct contact with the Foundation’s support team. The digital assistant received international recognition when it was awarded the Canada Fintech Award for its pioneering use of artificial intelligence in delivering large-scale social impact. Since then, Foundation has moved to 24x7 email support. [13] [14]

Workshops

Conducted in schools, colleges, and professional spaces, these sessions have focused on digital hygiene, safe internet practices, and awareness of cyber laws and citizen rights. [3] [5]

Podcasts

The Foundation’s podcast series featured senior police officials, IAS officers, educators, legal experts, and mental health professionals who discussed actionable strategies and institutional frameworks around cyber safety. [15] [16]

Board of Advisors

The honorary Board of Advisors of the Akancha Srivastava Foundation has included a distinguished panel of senior professionals from law enforcement, academia, industry, and public service. These individuals have lent their expertise to guide the Foundation’s strategic initiatives and scale its outreach in the field of cyber safety and digital literacy. Notable members have included R K Vij, Special Director General of Police, Chhattisgarh; Navniet Sekera, Additional Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh; [2] and Krishna Prakash, Additional Director General of Police, Maharashtra. [2]

In addition to Law enforcement leadership, the advisory board has drawn support from prominent voices in education and entrepreneurship. Poonam Verma, Principal of Delhi University’s Shaheed Sukhdev College of Business Studies, has contributed to the Foundation’s academic outreach strategy. [17] Among the Foundation’s supporters from the private sector over the years, are Vijay Shekhar Sharma, founder of Paytm, and Dr Ritesh Malik, founder of Innov8. [18]

The board has also benefitted from the association of Princess Diya Kumari, Member of Parliament from Vidhyadhar Nagar, who brought a public policy perspective to the mission. [19]

References

  1. 1 2 Vijayan, Naveena (2017-04-28). "Caught in the web". The Hindu. ISSN   0971-751X . Retrieved 2019-02-12.
  2. 1 2 3 "Vogue Warriors: Meet the social entrepreneur leading the fight against the rising rate of cyber crime during the lockdown". Vogue India. 22 May 2020. Retrieved 2020-11-15.
  3. 1 2 "Once hounded by a cyber stalker, this Mumbai woman now conducts workshops on online harassment". dnaindia.com.
  4. ↑ "Explained: 'Rashtrapati or Rashtrapatni?' A debate that predates Adhir Ranjan Chowdhary's 'slip of tongue'". The Times of India. 29 July 2022.
  5. 1 2 "Police ill-equipped to handle cyber crimes". afternoonvoice.com. 5 December 2017.
  6. ↑ "Internet crimes see manifold rise during lockdown; children are the biggest targets". Free Press Journal. 2020-05-04. Retrieved 2020-05-04.
  7. ↑ "Women more vulnerable to online harassment". Deccan Herald. 2019-12-24. Retrieved 2020-03-20.
  8. ↑ "Significant increase in cybercrime against women during lockdown: Experts". Hindustan Times. 2020-05-03. Retrieved 2020-05-04.
  9. ↑ "लॉकडाउन में एक्टीव हुए साइबर अपराधी, सबसे ज्यादा महिलाओं को बना रहे निशाना". Jagran (in Hindi). 2020-05-01. Retrieved 2020-05-01.
  10. ↑ Daniel, Wheatley; Irene, Hardill; Sarah, Buglass (16 April 2021). Handbook of Research on Remote Work and Worker Well-Being in the Post-COVID-19 Era. IGI Global. ISBN   978-1-7998-6756-2.
  11. 1 2 "Akancha Against Harassment: Giving voice to victims". uttarpradesh.org. 6 November 2017.
  12. ↑ "Haptik Company Profile | AI-Company |". StartupTalky. 30 April 2021.
  13. ↑ "Vijay Shekhar Sharma & Dr Ritesh Malik Backed Social Impact Initiative Saves Lives During Corona Lockdown". BW Disrupt.
  14. ↑ "Haptik Wins the 'AI for Good Award' at the 4th Annual Canadian Fintech & AI Awards 2018". DIGITAL TERMINAL. 6 December 2018.
  15. ↑ "Akancha Against Harassment". kukufm.com.
  16. ↑ "Hubhopper - Robust and Easy to Create and Distribute Podcasts". listen.hubhopper.com. 8 September 2019.
  17. ↑ "ABOUT". Akancha Srivastava Foundation.
  18. ↑ "Vijay Shekhar Sharma, Ritesh Malik, Indian Police & Other Authorities Come Together to Back a Cyber Safety Initiative". BW Disrupt.
  19. ↑ "'Akancha against harassment' emerged as a social impact initiative against cyber harassment". Faceoff.
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