We strive to illuminate the future of marginalized communitieschildrenwomen

Strives to empower socially and economically vulnerable sections of society.

OUR FOUNDER

Recently designated as: ‘Founder & Mentor Prayas JAC Society and Allied organizations’, viz. 5 JSSs (Jan Shikshan Sansthans) under the Ministry of Skill Development & Entrepreneurship GOI. Ex Coordinator NITI-CSOs Standing Committee of NITI Aayog. Founder (Ex) Chairman, Domestic Workers Sector Skill Council (DWSSC) & Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) & Former DGP (IPS AGMUT Cadre). Presently, chairing the Prayas Institute of Juvenile Justice (PIJJ)and Prayas Institute of Economic Empowerment (PIEE).

Mr. Amod K. Kanth is one of India’s leading social development experts and a former civil servant who founded Prayas at Jahangirpuri with 25 crisis-affected children in 1988, a Civil Society Organisation (CSO or NGO) which runs wide-ranging projects for care, protection, welfare, development, rehabilitation & socio-economic empowerment and for the rights of marginalized children, youth and women, for the past 36 years. Simultaneously, he had an outstanding and highly decorated career in the Indian Police Service (IPS) besides being the first Chairman of Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR) and Domestic Workers Sector Skill Council (DWSSC) etc. He has helped in the creation and growth of numerous organizations and institutions of national repute, Mr. Kanth has also written (published by Bloomsbury India) two bestselling books, ‘Police Diaries Khaki in Dust Storm’ Book-1 and ‘Khaki on Broken Wings’, Book-2. The first volume is a gripping story of immersive investigations conducted during the violent era (1981-91) of dramatic crimes, assassinations and terrorism, which witnessed the assassination of Indira Gandhi and the horrific riots, followed by series of bomb-blasts and assassinations, including that of Rajiv Gandhi. In continuation, the second volume has also been proved to be the bestselling Police Diaries series where some of the most sensational and heinous crimes were untangled by Mr. Kanth. Deploying his deep knowledge of real-world crimes committed by the rich and the powerful, Kanth lays bare the loopholes within India’s Criminal Justice System. Besides numerous articles on multiple situations and issues he dealt with, right in the infancy of his entry in the voluntary sector, along with Late Prof. RM Verma, HOD Delhi School of Social Work (DU) he compiled a seminal Unicef sponsored book, ‘Neglected Child: Changing Perspectives’. Mr. Kanth established Prayas JAC Society, an organization of international acclaim, envisioned to restore the lost childhood of ‘Children in Need of Care and Protection’ and ‘Juveniles/Children in Conflict with law’. This organization has now emerged as a model of good practices not only for its pro-poor and child development activities but also for the socio-economic empowerment of the marginalized communities across the country. Around 315 Centers/Units set up under his direct supervision included numerous Homes/Shelters for children, homeless, adults, women, 06 Childlines (1098), over 150 Skill Development, Livelihood & Health Centres operating within the PIEE & JSSs across the country in 12States/UTs directly serve about 50,000 marginalized children, youth, women and the deprived communities. Prayas addresses multiple issues and runs programs relating to Street & Working Children,child protection & juvenile justice, Forced Labour & Trafficking of children & women, Alternative Education-Vocational & life skills, Disaster & Crisis affected communities, Empowerment of women & youth through Self-Help Groups and Income Generation Programmes, promotion of entrepreneurship. Prayas has been honoured through the active participations and visits of national and international luminaries including the American First Lady Laura Bush. Led by Mr. Kanth, Prayas is today served by 700+ professionals and several hundred volunteers from India & abroad.

Amod K. Kanth is the founder of Prayas JAC. Before Prayas JAC, he was an officer of the Indian Police Service, 1974 batch. During his last term, he served as the Director General of Police of Goa and Arunachal Pradesh, and later the Chairperson of Delhi Commission for Protection of Child Rights (DCPCR). During his tenure, he was associated with the investigation of some of the most sensational cases known, both Nationally and Internationally. Cases such as the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, Lalit Maken and Arjun Das assasination, in 1985 he solved the infamous transistor bomb blast that killed 105 people, his contribution in investigation extended in economic offences such as the Hawala and the Banks Scam case. The film ‘Main aur Charles’ was adapted from his chase of the flamboyant Charles Sobhraj. His dedication to the service of people was evident when he continued his work on the Jessica Lal case, despite being posted in Arunachal Pradesh during the hearing.

His work has extended to the needs of the marginalised and the vulnerable, from working for women, members of tribes to, members of minority community, he has worked on the entire of spectrum of cases as a human rights defender.

His notes and inputs on various socio-economic issues have also caught national attention and greatly impacted the policy and advocacy trend in India, with regard to women and children specifically. In 2005, he was awarded the TIP Report Hero Acting to End Modern Slavery in recognitions of his efforts to combat human trafficking. His contribution has also lead to Trafficking of Persons (Prevention, Protection and Rehabilitation) Bill of 2019, wherein Ms. Maneka Gandhi (Minister for Women and Child Development) recognised his and Prayas’s contribution to combat anti-trafficking and laying down a foundation for the law.