Unacademy Launches ‘Shikshodaya’: An Initiative to Educate Five Lakh Girl Students

MUMBAI:
Unacademy, India’s largest learning platform today announced its National Mega Flagship Initiative- ‘Shikshodaya’. Celebrating Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, Shikshodaya is Unacademy’s commitment towards achieving Nation’s vision of becoming ‘Atma Nirbhar’ in our 75th Year of Independence. With this initiative, Unacademy aims to commit to ‘Beti Sang Bulandi ki Ore’ that is, to educate and empower five lakh meritorious girl students across the country.

This initiative will enable girls who are school dropouts, currently in schools and in colleges by creating opportunities for them to be re-integrated into mainstream education. With Shikshodaya, all five lakh girl students will acquire knowledge & skills which will help them to advocate themselves and their communities, accomplish their goals and be part of India’s growth story.

Speaking on the occasion, Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog said, “This mega initiative is expected to transform not only five lakh girl students but also positively impact their families, society and the nation at large. Edtech has the potential to provide innovative, cost-effective methods to transform education and can play a powerful role in achieving universal access to quality education for all children. Unacademy aims to use the power of technology to provide quality education to the remotest part of India. Shikshodaya, a noble initiative by Unacademy will not only help the girls to get jobs but at the same time ensure that it empowers girls who have dropped out of education to earn their own livelihood”.

Commenting on the occasion, Mohandas Pai, Chairman of Manipal Global Education said, “Educating women will empower them to respond to challenges of life. We are at the crux of a massive digital transformation, with the Internet, digital learning platforms and mobile phones offering tremendous opportunities and giving women the possibility to earn additional income and increase their employment prospects. Women’s literacy, participation in the workforce and financial inclusion are crucial components in the economic progress of a country and education is an integral pillar that contributes towards their empowerment. This initiative by Unacademy will motivate more start-ups to contribute towards nation building programs.”

“At Unacademy, our vision is to democratize high quality education for everyone irrespective of their demographics and economic status. As we enter the 75th year of Independence women empowerment is critical for the upliftment of society and the economy. We believe technology driven social equity and education are the twin engines which will power us towards becoming a $5 Trillion economy. With Shikshodaya, we want to enable some of that transformation and look forward to creating social impact on a large scale by empowering 5 lakh girl students,” said Gaurav Munjal, Co- Founder and CEO, Unacademy Group.

Unacademy also showcased their commitment to ‘Beti Sang Bulandi Ki Ore’ in a film titled ‘Shikshodaya’, which was showcased at the launch event of the initiative in New Delhi today. The film talks about how Unacademy is empowering and helping the girl students to achieve their dreams of getting access to quality education.

The event was graced by prominent senior government officials and sectoral leaders like Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog, Som Parkash, Minister of State, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, GoI, Dr Sandhya Chintala, Executive Director, IT & ITeS SSC , Prof. Anil Sahasrabudhe, Chairman, AICTE, GoI, Mohandas Pai, Chairman, Aarin Capital and Chairman Chairman of Manipal Global Education and Kanta Singh, India Head, UN-Women.