Agastya International Foundation, India
Endowment Fund
Founded in 1999, Agastya International Foundation runs the world’s largest mobile, hands-on science education programme for economically disadvantaged government school children and teachers. Agastya has reached 12 million children and 250,000 teachers across the country.
Mazumdar Shaw Philanthropy supported the online development of COVID-19 learning material, and its dissemination through the award winning ‘Lab on a Bike’ outreach programme, that takes information to underserved children in remote areas. As part of its ‘Gifted Children Learning Programme’, Agastya is also developing a pilot prototype for the ‘Pradhan Mantri Innovative Learning Programme’ focused on COVID-19. It will run in both online and physical formats, starting with the design and development of a game in consultation with Dr Kavitha Vemuri and her team at IIIT Hyderabad, and another in conjunction with Kentropy Technologies Pvt. Ltd. As part of its ‘Aha! Series’, Agastya has created ActiLearn, a self learning book filled with over 50 activities, covering topics from STEM to the Arts.
Agastya’s presence is crucial in furthering the development of India through the inclusion of her poor, who are most often disenfranchised; bringing the poor to the table as India makes her mark on the global scene. With education, these children may lift humanity to unimagined heights.”
Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, Former President of India
Modules
In 6 languages, available on Agastya’s resources website
Students
Attended ‘Lab on a Bike’ sessions in 32 schools across 2 districts (Sept–March 2021)
Gallery
Images courtesy: Agastya International Foundation
