Our Vision:
The future of media is locally generated content aimed at stimulating dialogue and inspiring change. All media should be OF the community, BY the community, and FOR the community.

Our Approach: 
We reject the notion that marginalized communities are powerless victims so we empower them to become agents of change through video, radio, and other art forms.

A Brief History:
In 1993, DRISHTI (Vision in Hindi) was founded in Ahmedabad, Gujarat by a team of media professionals eager to use their skills and passion to cultivate awareness of gender justice, grassroots development, and human rights in India.  Drishti committed itself to creating an alternative to the centralized mainstream media to combat the portrayal of marginalized populations as victims with no agency.  All the work we do is guided by our belief that media should be OF the community, BY the community and FOR the community.  

Drishti’s earliest work began with documentary filmmaking to capture grassroots activism fighting against injustices throughout India.  At the same time, the organization began to experiment with participatory audio programming- engaging rural, non-literate citizens in all aspects of production and distribution.  Witnessing the remarkable impact of empowering citizens to voice their own joys and strives through art and radio, Drishti began training communities to make films- valuing the process as much as the end product. 

DRISHTI films have been screened and recognized at prestigious national and international festivals through the years: Japan 1997: Tokyo Global Environmental Film Festival- Grand Prize; India 1999: New Delhi Video Festival- Best Film; USA: 2007 Mahindra IAAC Film Festival- Best Documentary; India:2007 One Billion Eyes Film Festival- Best Film; India: 2008 10th Mumbai International Film Festival- Best Documentary & Short Film/ Best Film.

To compliment the grassroots work, Drishti also designs and executes rights-based campaigns and trainings integrating social struggles with the arts.  From orchestrating a cricket match in Gujarat (Game4Change) after the 2002 riots to foster a spirit of communal harmony to curating a film festival at the Asia Social Forum to making caste discrimination visible through art and music at the World Conference Against Racism in South Africa.  Drishti has been engaged in public advocacy on all levels. We have also been supporting and advocating for the use of street theatre by designing campaigns, supporting troupes, and conducting workshops for social activists, students, as well as tribal and rural women.  

A Glimpse into the Future:
Over the next decade, DRISHTI aims to use participatory media and art to empower the voices of marginalized groups worldwide and to create opportunities for youth to engage using the tools of community media as a force for change.