About the session lead:

Eknath Pawar

Eknath is an Associate Manager at Praja Foundation. He specialises in data management, RTI applications, and governance research. With over a decade of experience, he leads citizen engagement, elected representative capacity building, and community workshops, empowering Mumbai’s citizens to actively participate in governance and improve urban service delivery.

About the session:

This masterclass explored the power of the Right to Information (RTI) Act as a tool for participatory democracy. Rooted in Article 19(1)(a) of the Indian Constitution, RTI empowers citizens to demand transparency and accountability from public authorities.

The session traced RTI’s evolution from grassroots activism in Rajasthan to its enactment in 2005, and covered key provisions—what constitutes ‘information,’ how to file RTIs, applicable authorities, and the appeal process. Emphasis was placed on how citizens can use RTI to expose wrongdoing, demand better governance, and reclaim the spirit of Swaraj through informed civic participation.