It was June 10, 2017, a date etched in my memory—not for a grand success, but for the beginning of a journey many dreams of: innovating in the world of education. As a teacher turned marketer, I had always believed that learning should be seen, felt, and experienced—not just memorized.
Back then, driven by my deep passion for experiential learning and a firm belief in the motto “seeing is believing,” I was invited by Prof. Emeritus Nagabhushan, Mr. Ranganathan (Retired Director-HP), Ms. Padma (Ex-Project Manager), and Ms. Sridevi to join their team. Thus, Vidhya Sangam was born—an initiative ahead of its time, and I came on board as a passionate teacher turned marketer and sales driver.
Our vision was simple, yet powerful: take virtual experiments to schools, helping children visualize and internalize scientific concepts instead of simply reading them as prose in a textbook. With just a projector, an internet connection, and our subscription-based model, schools could access a treasure trove of interactive lessons.
200 Schools, One Story: Resistance to Change
Over the years, I met with more than 200 headmasters and principals across government and private unaided schools. I tirelessly demonstrated our tools, driven by the belief that every child deserves access to engaging, visual learning experiences. However, what we encountered wasn’t a lack of infrastructure—it was a hesitation to embrace new methods.
We often heard:
The resistance wasn’t financial—it was cultural. The system was deeply rooted in traditional methods, and introducing change meant challenging long-held practices in teaching and learning. As a teacher turned marketer, I realized we weren’t just promoting a product—we were asking educators to reimagine the classroom itself. And that is never an easy shift.
Then Came 2020: The Uninvited Teacher—COVID-19
When the world locked down, learning went online. Suddenly, the same schools, teachers, and parents who resisted educational technology had no choice but to embrace it. The pandemic taught us a lesson we couldn’t deliver in person—technology in education is no longer optional.
But this also showed something deeper: the digital divide. While affluent schools transitioned, smaller institutions, especially in rural areas, struggled due to a lack of digital infrastructure.
Its Time CSR Moved Beyond Wall Painting
This is a direct appeal to companies and CSR leaders: stop just painting walls and donating used computers, which often become maintenance challenges for such schools. Start building the future. Let’s fund portable labs for government and low-budget private schools. Let’s provide plug-and-play projectors preloaded with content aligned to the syllabus. Let’s train teachers to become facilitators instead of gatekeepers. Let’s adopt schools not just physically—but digitally. Move away from one-time donations and instead create sustainable subscription models. Provide access, not abandonment. And let us measure success not only in marks but in curiosity sparked and confidence built.
Building the Next Generation Starts Here
This article isn’t a success story—it’s a reflection. A call to rethink how we approach innovation in education. If we are truly serious about bridging the gap between today's classrooms and tomorrow’s possibilities, we must begin with vision, support, and the courage to invest in meaningful change. Let’s not wait for another crisis to awaken us.
Let’s bring Vidhya Sangam—the confluence of knowledge and imagination. Because schools are the right place to begin technological initiatives—they’re where minds are shaped, curiosity is sparked, and futures are built. When we empower schools, we prepare an entire generation to think, create, and lead with confidence.
Disclaimer:
This article is not a critique of well-equipped urban schools that have already embraced technology and experiential learning. It is a humble plea on behalf of thousands of under-resourced schools across the country—schools where hundreds of teachers strive daily with thousands of students, often without recognition or support; where some still teach without digital tools, not by choice but by circumstance; where the children of daily-wage earners walk miles to learn, driven by dreams larger than their realities; and where bright, capable students—brimming with potential—desperately need the tools and aids that could open new worlds for them. This is for them. Let our CSR efforts and educational innovations reach where they are needed the most.
About the Author
G. Vidhya is a passionate teacher turned marketer with over 20 years of experience in both the corporate and education sectors. After working in business development and client relations in the corporate world, she shifted her focus to education to bring innovative and meaningful learning experiences to students.
She was part of the Vidhya Sangam initiative, where she helped introduce visual and experiential learning tools in schools across Karnataka. She has personally met with over 200 school leaders, promoting the use of technology in classrooms, especially in underserved area, she also helped inner wheel in identifying more than 10 government schools in Bangalore and trained the trainers.
She currently works as an Executive Assistant in a Technological college in Bangalore, where she supports educational development and strategic initiatives. She believes that with the right tools and training, every teacher can become a catalyst for change.