Boeing Inaugurates 30 Libraries, and 3 Innovation Studios with Learning Links Foundation, in Amethi, Uttar Pradesh

Minister Smriti Irani Dedicates Two Boeing Literacy Programs to Empower ‘Sukanyas’ of Amethi

• Launched under the flagship Boeing Sukanya Program guided by PM Modi’s vision.
• Inaugurates 30 Boeing Room to Read Libraries and three Boeing Innovation Studios with Learning Links Foundation in Amethi schools.

The Hon’ble Minister of Women and Child Development and Minority Affairs of the Government of India, Smt. Smriti Zubin Irani, on February 28th, inaugurated 30 libraries under Boeing’s Room to Read literacy program and 3 Boeing Innovation Studios by Learning Links Foundation in the Amethi district of Uttar Pradesh.

Minister Irani launched the Boeing literacy programs in Amethi district to help advance female literacy and empower girl children in the district. The Hon’bleçto the nation the Boeing Sukanya Program, which aims to provide opportunities for girls and women from across India to learn critical skills in STEM fields and train for jobs in the aviation sector.

“Foremost, I am grateful to our Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi Ji for his vision in helping advance the participation of our country’s daughters in India's aviation sector through the Boeing Sukanya Program. I am equally delighted that under this program, we expand the literacy outreach by setting up 60 Boeing – Room to Read libraries and Boeing STEM labs in Amethi, of which 30 libraries and three STEM labs are fully operational for children in Amethi today,” said Smt. Irani. “Programs such as these not only make education accessible and employment inclusive for our girls and women but empower every woman to be the center of decision-making in the family, community, and country – and that is a vision we drive for the district and nation,” she added.

Minister Irani was accompanied by senior Government and district officials, Boeing India Chief of Staff and Boeing Global Engagement Lead, India and South Asia, Ms. Praveena Yagnambhat, Mr. Sudeep Dube, senior vice president, Learning Links Foundation, and Mr. Rishi Rajvanshi, Director, Innovation and Donor Engagement, Room to Read India at the opening ceremonies in Amethi today.

“We are proud of the commitment we made as part of the Boeing Sukanya Program to set up the infrastructure and enable access to education, guided by PM Modi’s vision for greater participation of more girl children into the country’s growing aviation sector, and pleased to have Minister Irani to expand the outreach in Amethi district today,” said Mr. Salil Gupte, president, Boeing India and South Asia. “We also thank our partners Room to Read and Learning Links Foundations for their focus and dedication.” added Salil.

Launched in 2023 in the Amethi district, the Boeing Room to Read literacy program will touch 60 primary schools for the next few years in Amethi to help nurture independent readers and lifelong learners. The libraries are equipped with modern amenities and resources including books, reading tables, open bookshelves, display units, and other educational materials. In addition, the program will also drive family and community engagement and awareness through community meetings, events, summer camps, parental orientation, school management committee training, and reading campaigns. The program will also enable professional development training for educators and faculty. The initiatives will help create awareness among families, communities, and educators about the right ways to support children at home and in school.

Speaking on the partnership, Ms. Poornima Garg, Country Director, Room to Read India said, "In Amethi, our partnership with Boeing bolsters support for 60 schools, reinforcing our enduring collaboration that has positively influenced the lives of more than 20,000 students nationwide. We firmly believe that education is a fundamental right for all, and together with Boeing, we are dedicated towards advancing state government’s Mission Prerna to improve quality of education, especially children’s foundational learning skills in Uttar Pradesh.”

Similarly, in partnership with Learning Links Foundation (LLF), a renowned not-for-profit organization, Boeing sets up three Innovation Studios that will enable collaborative and hands-on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) learning among the children in the district. Built with a commitment to advance education in adherence to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, these Innovation Studios are designed to enhance 21st-century skills such as critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, and problem-solving among the children.

Mr. Sudeep Dube, Senior Vice President, Learning Links Foundation said, “STEM learning is essential for preparing students to navigate an increasingly technology-driven world, equipping them with the skills needed for building future careers and for contributing to the overall development of a nation. At Learning Links Foundation, we prioritize STEM initiatives to empower students with the tools and knowledge necessary for success in a rapidly evolving digital landscape, and we "c¥" cc"cccfcffff"are pleased with today’s launch aligned with LLFs vision.”

As a socially responsible business leader, Boeing is committed to improving the quality of life in the communities among which it operates. Through focused programs in skilling, education and nutrition, healthcare and sanitation, workforce development, and veterans’ welfare, Boeing has positively impacted more than 13 lakh lives in India over the years.

IVCA Launches #VC101 Learning Programme for First-Time Fund Managers

The programme aims to help build an empowered, engaged, and experienced generation of PE/VC fund managers in India.

India’s apex industry body for alternative assets, the Indian Venture and Alternate Capital Association (IVCA), today launched a one-of-a-kind learning and knowledge-sharing programme on fund management - #VC101, for emerging venture fund managers. It is one among several initiatives by IVCA to strengthen the environment for venture capital in India and push India as the leading fund management hub in the world.

In India, the private financing market has emerged as a strong wall of support for the homegrown startup ecosystem. The recent Bain & Co.- IVCA report suggests that Micro VCs (MVCs) became significantly more present across the landscape in 2022 with the base of active MVCs growing from 65 to 80+ over 2021–22. Micro VCs and domestic funds and other small funds (CVCs, family offices, and new funds) also accounted for a salient share of investments in 2022. As more limited partners and family offices look to invest in alternatives viz-a-viz public equity, the sector is on the road to witness an explosion in venture-backed companies. In continuation of this trend and with alternative investment funds growing at an annual rate of 20% over the past decade in India, the meteoric rise of micro-VCs (with an active fund size of less than USD 30 Mn) and first-time fund managers has been inevitable.

"The growth of entrepreneurship in India has been accompanied by the rise of PE-VC, both of which have contributed substantially to the country’s rapid economic progress. IVCA’s #VC101 Series, with sessions led by seasoned venture capital investors, should be of great value to budding venture capitalists in India” said Rajan Anandan, MD, Sequoia India & Southeast Asia, and Surge & Chair, VC Council, IVCA.

The exponential growth of the industry, thus, necessitates proactive attempts to build an empowered, engaged, and experienced class of venture fund managers. Presently, in India, the trend is that most venture funds are led by new, first-time, emerging fund managers who find key activities such as raising capital, networking with limited partners, and building a team challenging in the formative years of the fund. Accordingly, #VC101 is an exclusive learning and development programme curated for first-time fund managers, micro-VCs, and active/new family offices by seasoned fund managers from IVCA’s VC Sector Council Members, who have raised multiple funds, have enabled exits and now wish to give it back to the ecosystem. It will feature sessions by industry veterans - GPs, Knowledge Partners, Limited Partners, Government leads, etc. by equipping emerging players with the knowledge to tackle the unique challenges faced by this alternate asset class. Participants will get the opportunity to receive mentorship from and network with limited partners, leading general partners, family offices, and Government of India officials.

Rahul Khanna, Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Trifecta Capital, and Co-Chair, VC Council, IVCA, remarked, “The process of evaluating and investing may be daunting for new Fund Managers as they are expected to identify and take a call on companies with great potential which also involves significant risk. However, by employing the appropriate strategies, it can be a very disciplined and effective process. The #VC101 programme looks to help Fund Managers build both financial and operational strength. By sharing the best practices in PE-VC investing by seasoned practitioners and industry experts, the programme will accelerate the development and maturation of the venture capital asset class in India.”

#VC101 will be a month-long, on-ground programme spanning three fortnights in the month of June. The programme is divided into three modules with in-person learning sessions in each of the city – Mumbai, Bengaluru and New Delhi. Specifically, the programme will discuss fundraising, formation and portfolio management fund strategy, raising, and firm building; fund setup and deployment; and portfolio management, governance, exits, returns, n+1 fund strategy and much more. The following industry veterans and experts of IVCA’s Venture Capital Council will mentor the participating fund managers: Rajan Anandan (Managing Director, Surge & Sequoia Capital India LLP), Rahul Khanna (Co-Founder and Managing Partner, Trifecta Capital), Manish Kheterpal (Founder & Managing Partner, WaterBridge Ventures), Ruchi Khajanchi (Chief Financial Officer, A91 Partners), Priyanka Chopra (Chief Operating Officer, Managing Partner, Seed Investing, CIIE.CO, IIM Ahmedabad, & Venture Partner, Bharat Innovation Fund), Anil Joshi (Managing Partner, Unicorn India Ventures), Sameer Brij Verma (Managing Director, Nexus Partners), and Sehraj Singh (Managing Director, India, Prosus Ventures).

About IVCA

Indian Venture and Alternate Capital Association (IVCA) is a not-for-profit, apex industry body promoting the alternate capital industry and fostering a vibrant investing ecosystem in India. IVCA is committed to supporting the ecosystem by facilitating advocacy discussions with the Government of India, policymakers, and regulators, resulting in the rise of entrepreneurial activity, innovation, and job creation in India and contributing towards the development of India as a leading fund management hub. IVCA members are the most active domestic and global VCs, PEs, funds for infrastructure, real estate, credit funds, limited partners, investment companies, family offices, corporate VCs, and knowledge partners. These funds invest in emerging companies, venture growth, buyout, special situations, distressed assets, and credit and venture debt, among others.

Tapas Launches School Campus Redesign Hackathon ‘Jaga’ to Make Classrooms Flexible and Conducive to Learning

The participants will also get a chance to attend Tapas Masterclass on space planning.

Bangalore-based 100% project-based learning school Tapas has launched India’s first school campus redesign hackathon ‘Jaga’ to make classrooms more flexible and conducive to learning for children. Moving away from the traditional cookie-cutter approach to designing classrooms, the unique initiative focuses on initiating dialogues and coming up with new ideas to foster better student-teacher relationships and engaging learning environments in schools. Tapas School has invited entries for this hackathon and participants will also get a chance to attend a Tapas Masterclass on space planning.

Talking about this initiative, Tapas School’s spokesperson said," Traditionally, schools have relied on the ‘cookie-cutter’ or ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to design and plan their classrooms without paying enough attention to individual differences. This has resulted in teacher-centric classrooms which do not encourage collaboration amongst learners. They are rigid and don't offer flexibility. Jaga is our attempt to create engaging learning environments in classrooms with more attention to space planning and design. We believe this allows learners to make choices, experiment with new techniques and learn the best. Additionally, flexible classrooms will also support teachers with greater capacity to respond to individual needs and discover effective ways of teaching."

The hackathon will be conducted in 5 stages:

i) sending in the ideas,
ii) shortlisting of ideas,
iii) presentation to the jury,
iv) final selection of entries to be featured in the book,
v) release of a book documenting the entire hackathon and the final ideas.

The initial set of participating entries will be judged and shortlisted based on parameters set by Tapas. The shortlisted participants will present their ideas before the jury members. The shortlisted entries will be translated into an implementable design idea by a team of reputed architects. The jury includes seasoned professionals from the field of education, architecture, space planning, psychology, and design.

The full list of jurors is as follows:

• Neha Cadabam (Executive Director - Cadabam Group),
• Dr. Swati Popat Vats (President - Podar Education Network),
• Preethi Vickram (Founder - Tapas School),
• Devishobha (Founder, Kidskintha),
• Harish Srinivasan (Co-founder and learning experience designer - Infinite Engineers),
• Dr. Tirka Widanti (Rector - Universitas Ngurah Rai, President - Yayasan Kul Kul Green school),
• Francis Joseph (Director - SLN School Leaders Network Foundation),
• Amrita Burman (Deputy Director - Sunbeam Group of Educational Institutions),
• Sarvesh Srinivasan (Educator and Architect, GEAR International School),
• Kathryn Cogan (K-12 Studio Leader - CHA Architecture),
• Ar. Krishna Murthy (Architect - De Sara Architects).

After presentation to the jury, the final shortlist of entries will be featured in the book to be released by Tapas School. The jury members will also participate in a panel discussion about Jaga. The panel discussion will act as a platform for the jurors to discuss their take on the entire exercise and their rationale behind the final selections.

Tapas School will be partnering with like-minded peer organisations for strategic outreach and subject-matter expertise. The partner organisations include ECA APER, All About Architecture, Kidskintha, Daily Hunt, Sunbeam Group of Educational Institutions, JoGenii, Jumpstart Preschool chain, Mindful Gurukul, FloMont World School, Somaiya School, Kidlet, Fairkraft Creations, and Infinite Engineers.

Jaga is one of the many efforts made by Tapas School to make learning meaningful, enjoyable, and relevant for students.

Bachpan's Speak-O-Kit Introduces the Idea of Edutainment in the Classroom Curriculum

Bachpan, one of India's most lauded preschool providers, makes learning enjoyable with its Speak-O-Kit. Bachpan was the first to introduce the Speak-O-Kit, also referred to as a set of talking books and talking pens, as a teaching aid. It attempts to help pre-school children develop stronger retention capacities, self-reliance, and self-learning skills. It is completely aligned with their academic programme.

The Speak-O-Kit was introduced as a one-of-a-kind learning tool for pre-school children in accordance with one of Bachpan's core philosophies of integrating technology into early childhood education and introducing the concept of edutainment into the classroom curriculum. Using nanotechnology, when the pen is placed on specific words or images, it plays a sound stored in the book. This sound, when activated, produces a response that the child comprehends and analyses. The whole content of each book is mapped out by using a talking pen. All lessons are reviewed using riddles buried beneath a question mark.

The pens and books are made with safe material to ensure that the children are not harmed by the pens or books. The pen's body is strong and comfortable to hold. It's a one-of-a-kind home tutor for your child, who can learn while relaxing at home. A 3.5 mm headphone socket, lengthy working and standby duration, volume settings, clear accent, sound clarity, pre-installed rhymes (Hindi and English), and a manufacturer's warranty round out the pen's features. It's also a rechargeable device (6 months).

The Speak-O-Pen is both a tutor and a playmate for the children. It is easy for the younger ones to interact with books that speak when they are given a sense of confidence and are given positive feedback when they get it right. Instead of relying on rote memorization, students engage actively in their education. This helps to keep the learning process on track. It's a useful platform for parents as well, and it encourages children to read on their own while having a good time.

Speaking about the unique learning tool for children, Mr Ajay Gupta, CEO and Founder of Bachpan Play School commented, “I have heard parents often complain about their child's excessive screen time. However, TVs, computers, and mobiles have their own contribution to learning and development (if used intelligently), as children get exposed to language proficiency and their communication skills get stronger. Our child-friendly Speak-O-Kit is the most successful teaching aid in this direction. I feel proud when I say that it makes the learning experience a lot more enriching. 

Children learn to listen, speak, and recite at their own pace through our talking books and talking pens, and what's better, they learn more than communication skills! They learn the concepts that are going to be the foundation of their success journeys and they learn it all with great interest!”

The Speak-O-Kit contains a complete set of 21 books and a talking pen, which generates text related sounds when placed on the book that essentially covers all the subject areas for a child's elementary school or kindergarten education.