Advisor
Dr. Richa Ahuja
Assistant Professor
IIT Kharagpur
Our Work · Project Rakshak
Solving Road Infrastructural Issues Through Youth-Led Interventions
Rakshak puts India’s sharpest young minds on the country’s riskiest roads — auditing, advocating and rebuilding the infrastructure that costs us 177,000+ lives a year.
- High Risk Locations Assessed
- 120+
High Risk Locations Assessed
- Approvals Secured
- 25+
Approvals Secured
- Expert Road Safety Audits
- 31+
Expert Road Safety Audits
Mentors & Interns Affiliations
About Project Rakshak
A nationwide fellowship rebuilding India’s most dangerous roads.
Rakshak is a structured intern-led programme that pairs college students across India with road-safety mentors, civic agencies and engineering experts. Each cohort picks a high-risk corridor in their city and works it end-to-end — from data and audits to public advocacy and concrete fixes.
The goal is simple: turn the next generation of Indians into the first generation that refuses to accept 177,000 road deaths a year as normal.
22
Cities Covered
900+
Stakeholder Surveys
30%
Crash Reduction Approval
What we tackle
The road problems Rakshak goes after
Every cohort focuses on the issues that quietly cause the most damage in Indian cities.
01
Speed & Conflict Risks
Overspeeding and unsafe vehicle interactions at uncontrolled intersections.
02
Lack of Traffic Control & Regulation
Non-functional or entirely absent traffic signals and signage.
03
Vulnerable Road Users
Lack of safe pedestrian and cyclist crossings and protected infrastructure.
04
Road Infrastructure Deficiencies
Potholes, uneven surfaces, water-logging, and deteriorated pavements.
05
Encroachment & Parking Obstructions
Illegal parking and roadside encroachment reducing effective carriageway width.
06
Inadequate Traffic Management
No lane discipline due to lack of markings, channelisation and operational planning.
The Rakshak method
Four phases. One stretch of road at a time.
A repeatable framework cohorts follow from scouting a junction to documenting the fix.
- Phase 101
of four
Phase 1Research & Development on Problem Area
Students conduct thorough field research to identify high-risk road locations and map infrastructure gaps across their communities.
- Identify accident-prone zones and dangerous intersections
- GPS-map all hazardous locations with photographic evidence
- Compile baseline data from traffic police and civic records
- Phase 202
of four
Phase 2Stakeholder Engagement & Road Safety Audits
Teams connect with civic authorities, traffic police, and local communities to understand ground realities and conduct expert safety audits.
- Conduct 900+ stakeholder surveys across communities
- Host consultations with municipal and traffic authorities
- Perform expert road safety audits at critical sites
- Phase 303
of four
Phase 3Case Study Analysis & Solution Development
In-depth case study analysis is conducted to develop actionable, evidence-based solutions for identified infrastructure challenges.
- Analyze case studies of successful road safety interventions
- Design practical and cost-effective safety solutions
- Propose signage, markings, and geometric corrections
- Phase 404
of four
Phase 4Final Report & Authority Presentations
Comprehensive reports are compiled and presented to civic authorities for approval, implementation, and long-term impact tracking.
- Compile detailed final reports with evidence and recommendations
- Present findings to municipal and traffic authorities
- Document outcomes for scalable replication nationwide
Live work map
See every junction Rakshak is working on, right now.
Drop into our interactive map to explore every active site, what the cohort is fixing, and the change it’s already driven on the ground.
Our Mentors & Advisors
The people guiding every cohort
Practitioners, researchers and former officials who've spent careers on Indian roads.
Mentor
Dr. A.V.A. Bharat Kumar
Asst Prof, Civil Engineering
Vignan's Foundation for Science, Technology and Research
Mentor
Mehraab Nazir
Ph.D. Scholar
IIT Delhi
Mentor
Priyanshu Aman
Ph.D. Scholar
IIT Delhi
Mentor
Parveen Kumar
Ph.D. Scholar
IIT Delhi
Mentor
Rashmeet Kaur
Ph.D. Scholar
IIT Delhi
Mentor
Rajat Kalsi
Road Safety Specialist
Chandigarh Administration
Mentor
Amandeep Kumar
Senior Transport Planner
School of Planning and Architecture
Mentor
Asha S V
PhD Scholar
TRIPP Centre, IIT Delhi
Join Project Rakshak
Spend a semester making one stretch of road safer for life.
Applications open twice a year for college students across India. No prior experience needed — just a stubborn refusal to accept unsafe roads.
- 12-week structured fellowship with weekly mentor reviews
- Field kits, training, and stipend support for active interns
- Letter of recommendation from leading road-safety experts
- Your work published on the Rakshak public work map
Top performing teams · Cohort 01
The cohorts setting the pace
Standout teams whose work has shaped Project Rakshak on the ground.
01Team
Visioneers
02Team
No Crash Zone
03Team
Black Widow
04Team
Shaunak's Team
05Team
PathRakshak
06Team
Work Wizards
07Team
Team Saviour
Our evaluators
An independent panel keeping us honest
Outcomes are scored by external experts so the rankings are earned, not awarded.
Evaluator
Dr. Hemant Kumar Suman
Assistant Professor, CTRANS
Evaluator
Dr. Dungar Singh
PhD, MNIT
Evaluator
Dr. Shriniwas S Arkatkar
Professor, SVNIT
Evaluator
Dr. Sandeep Peeke
Assistant Professor, SPAV
Evaluator
Dr. Purnima K Chowdhury
Assistant Professor, SPAB
Evaluator
Dr. Anshu Bamney
Assistant Professor, School of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Evaluator
Mr. V. Sai Sesidhar
PhD Scholar, IIT Kharagpur
Evaluator
Mr. Ashish Shrivastava
Engineer – Traffic and Transport Planning
Evaluator
Kushal Khivansara
Researcher, TRIPC IIT Delhi
Evaluator
Mridul Sharotary
Planner (Traffic and Transportation), EY
Resources
Everything you need to run Rakshak in your city
Open templates and trainings so any group of students can replicate our methodology.
PDF · 24 pages
Rakshak Audit Playbook
Step-by-step methodology our interns use to audit a junction end-to-end.
Get the resourceZIP · forms + sheets
Field Survey Toolkit
Templates for stakeholder surveys, observation logs and crash reconstruction.
Get the resourceVideo · 18 min
Onboarding Masterclass
Mentors walk you through the Rakshak framework and what your first month looks like.
Get the resourceOur blogs
See the blogs we write to promote road safety
How One Moment on the Road Turned Rajesh Wagh into a Life-Saving Force
From fixing tyres to leading India's first Road Accident Disaster Response Centre.
Read
The Taxi-Driver Who Became Delhi's Golden Hour Lifeline
A retired taxi driver turned his life around after witnessing a road accident.
Read
Everyday Hero: Bowler's Brave Act Transforms Tragedy on the Highway
Mohammad Shami showed us that true heroism emerges beyond stadium lights when he helped rescue a car accident victim.
Read
Anyone Can Be a Lifesaver: The Spirit of a Good Samaritan
Dr. Maya Tandon's journey from operating theatres to highways, training over 100,000 citizens in life-saving skills.
Read
Brave Politician Interrupts Convoy to Rescue Survivor from Accident
Priyanka Gandhi's convoy stopped to help accident victims, showing true leadership through compassion.
Read
Gangadhara Tilak Katnam: The Pothole Man of Hyderabad
One retiree quit his job to fix 1,100+ potholes across Hyderabad, spending ₹20+ lakh from his own pocket to prevent crashes.
Read
Gallery
Moments from the ground
A glimpse of Rakshak cohorts at work across India.
