Rachit Lalwani

Project Overview

Jagriti Yatra is officially a 15-day national train journey covering 8,000 km across India to foster entrepreneurship and nation-building. Yatra Saar is the retrospective publication capturing the journey’s stories, impact, and milestones. As the lead graphic designer, I defined the entire visual direction – crafting a cohesive narrative that spans layout, branding, illustration, and data visualization. The audience was high-profile: government agencies (even the Prime Minister’s Office), key investors, and partners like the State Bank of India (SBI) – reflecting Jagriti Yatra’s stature as a major entrepreneurial initiative.

Visual Style & Concept

Building on the official Jagriti Yatra brand, I embraced a hand-drawn, culturally-rooted aesthetic to tell this story. This approach drew from India’s rich artistic heritage – hand-sketch motifs, folk patterns and vibrant colors – weaving in elements from the Jagriti Yatra website to ensure visual consistency. Design experts note that “drawing from India’s rich history, architecture, art and craft… in contemporary graphic design can do wonders”. Similarly, hand-drawn illustrations are lauded as more authentic and engaging; recent industry analysis highlights that such visuals feel personal and “inherently more engaging” to audiences. In practice, I sketched custom infographics and icons that echo local cultural forms, giving the publication an organic warmth that resonates emotionally with readers.

Role & Collaboration

• Visual Direction: Led the end-to-end design – from grid layouts and typographic hierarchy to a unified branding system. Every page blend of imagery and data was composed to guide the reader’s eye through the journey’s narrative.
• Illustration & Branding: Created original hand-drawn illustrations and patterns inspired by Indian cultural symbols, aligning them with Jagriti Yatra’s color palette and logo. This careful branding meant the report felt like a natural extension of the organization’s identity.
• Data Visualization: Translated key metrics and impact stories into custom charts and pictograms with a hand-crafted style, making complex information approachable for all stakeholders.
• Collaboration: Worked closely with the project manager and liaised with stakeholders (government liaisons, donors, SBI, etc.) to ensure the design met strategic goals. This involved frequent reviews and iterations, balancing creative vision with the formal expectations of high-level audiences.

Outcome & Call to Action

The final Yatra Saar publication delivers a compelling blend of creativity and professionalism. By grounding the design in local culture and authentic storytelling, the report engages readers at a human level while conveying factual impact. As one analysis puts it, hand-drawn narratives can “forge deeper emotional connections” with audiences – exactly what was needed to resonate with government officials and investors alike. The result is a visually cohesive document that reflects Jagriti Yatra’s spirit and scale, celebrating its legacy and inspiring future changemakers.