Indus Towers Limited (formerly Bharti Infratel Limited) and NIIT Foundation have impacted the lives of 1500 individuals in rural Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh via the Digital Transformation Van (DTV). Indus, being India’s leading provider of passive telecom infrastructure with a strong CSR program, and NIIT Foundation, a not-for-profit education society that aims to positively impact the underprivileged in the country, have come together and empowered the beneficiaries with digital literacy. Certificates were awarded to 280 new individuals who received the digital course.
Launched in 2018, to support the National Digital Literacy Mission, Indus Towers DTV has so far travelled to more than 30 communities/ villages in and around Delhi, Dehradun, Bhopal and Gujarat. It is expected to reach 40,000 beneficiaries in 2023 across these four regions. In Bhopal, it has spread awareness and awarded educational certificates to 1130 in 2022 and reached over 15,000 individuals through its video-based Education program.
The program has imparted digital literacy to individuals in the age range of 12 to 60 years, and who come from diverse backgrounds. The beneficiaries include school going children, women, Self Help Groups, homemakers, entry-level employees working in firms, farmers, and adults who want to develop digital literacy. The total beneficiaries under Indus Towers DTV program till date is over 93000.
Speaking about the success of the DTV, Shankar Iyer, Regional Director-West & South, Indus Towers said, “Education is no longer restricted to the four corners of a classroom nor is it only for the young. The DTV is an example of how technology can be used to bring the best education to students’ doorsteps whatever be their background or age. It also demonstrates that progressive education is a lifelong progress. The DTV’s mission is in line with Indus Tower’s belief in taking an active role in transforming the lives of communities. This mobile digital classroom is helping realize this by imparting in-demand skills to students of all ages and backgrounds.”
Ms. Charu Kapoor, COO NIIT Foundation said, “We believe that education alone can solve all the world’s problems. By bringing digital literacy to the interior of the country, we expect to accelerate the process whereby the world becomes a more harmonious and prosperous place. While the pandemic showed that education can move online, many gaps remain. Millions across India do not have access to digital devices to allow for online learning. The DTV helps overcomes all these hurdles by bringing connected classrooms to people’s doorsteps.”
The DTV serves as a mobile digital classroom and IT lab as it is equipped with software, printing equipment, and resources that enable e-learning. Students have learned crucial skills like cybersecurity and mastered Microsoft Office in the 20-seater DTV. In addition to supporting the existing education infrastructure in villages near Bhopal, the DTV is also being used to impart IT and entrepreneurship skills and to spread awareness about common public services.
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