NIVASA, an Architectural NGO, is the product of her effort in bringing together her training in Architecture and her passion for equal opportunity. Akhila was the first recipient of Centre for Social Initiative & Management’s fellowship for social entrepreneurs. This supported Nivasa during their first year of inception. Manava Seva Dharma Samvardhani presented the Sadguru Gyanananda fellowship to Akhila in appreciation of her pioneering effort to establish Nivasa. Three of Nivasa’s projects were selected among entries from fifteen countries world over for Indo-Dutch conference organized by IISc, Bangalore & Delft University, Netherlands, on Design for Sustainable Well being and Empowerment. Nivasa’s Project Suitcase is a winner of Citizens for the City Initiative, in the Innovation Category.