Where Policy Meets People: My Experience with Nexteen

When I first joined Nexteen, I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect. I knew it was a student-led think tank a space for young people to engage with policy, governance, and social innovation but I didn’t yet realize how hands-on the work would be. Or how much we’d end up talking about sanitation infrastructure.

As part of the policy team, I had the chance to work on a collaboration between Nexteen and Loocafe a Hyderabad-based social enterprise that transforms disused urban spaces into clean, accessible public toilets and community hubs. The mission was simple but urgent: make sanitation safe, sustainable, and inclusive, especially in areas where it's long been neglected.

My role involved everything from research and writing to policy design, field observations, and stakeholder communication. I worked on drafting proposals and suggesting frameworks that centered dignity, accessibility, and gender sensitivity especially in conversations around urban planning. It was deeply practical work, rooted in questions like: Who gets to feel safe in public spaces? Who is being left out? And how can small, smart policy interventions make a tangible difference?

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Why it mattered

The collaboration with Loocafe wasn’t just about infrastructure it was about reimagining what cities can look like when they prioritize people. I learned about real-world policymaking in a way no classroom could’ve offered. I also learned that youth involvement in civic spaces doesn’t have to be symbolic. We can and should be involved in shaping the systems we inherit.

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Beyond the project

More broadly, Nexteen has been one of the most intellectually stimulating communities I’ve been a part of. It’s a space where big ideas are taken seriously and where students are trusted to do real work. Whether it’s drafting white papers, proposing reforms, or conducting interviews with policymakers, Nexteen has challenged me to think critically, collaborate thoughtfully, and approach policy not as theory, but as lived experience.

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Looking ahead

Working with Nexteen and Loocafe deepened my interest in the relationship between law, policy, and public life particularly in how we design spaces, allocate resources, and make sure dignity isn’t reserved for the privileged few. I hope to keep working at this intersection, asking hard questions, and contributing wherever I can.

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