To make them future ready, girls school in city sets up STEM innovation lab
The initiative, implemented in collaboration with the India STEM Foundation under the CSR programme ‘Educate to Empower’, will benefit 763 students from Classes 6 to 9 by providing immersive learning opportunities in robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), electronics, and coding.
Pune: A new chapter in technology-driven education has begun for girl students in Pune as a fully equipped STEM Innovation Lab, ‘Robo Shiksha Kendra,’ was inaugurated on September 24 at Renuka Swarup Memorial Girls’ High School. The initiative, implemented in collaboration with the India STEM Foundation under the CSR programme ‘Educate to Empower’, will benefit 763 students from Classes 6 to 9 by providing immersive learning opportunities in robotics, artificial intelligence (AI), electronics, and coding.
The state-of-the-art facility aims not to introduce students to future-ready skills and also empower teachers through structured STEM training. The inauguration ceremony was attended by Kamladevi Awate, state deputy director of SCERT and Sudhanshu Sharma, founder and director of India STEM Foundation.
Speaking on the occasion, Monika Walia, head of Corporate Social Responsibility at GlobalLogic, said that with nearly 59% of girls discontinuing STEM education due to financial barriers, equitable access is not just a social issue but a strategic necessity for realising the vision of Viksit Bharat. “By embedding advanced STEM education in underserved schools, we are addressing access gaps and cultivating the next generation of innovators who will drive India’s inclusive growth,” she said.
The lab has already started showing results. A team of three students from the school, known as ‘Future Femmes’, qualified for the national round of the World Robot Olympiad in Hyderabad. Their project, AmritDarpan, an AI- and IoT-powered solution to monitor and improve water quality and accessibility, was selected from among 293 competing teams nationwide.
The Pune lab is part of a wider effort. Since 2022, six STEM Innovation Labs have been set up across India, reaching over 4,700 students. Through the ‘Educate to Empower’ initiative, the programme seeks to build inclusive and equitable learning ecosystems by combining advanced technology, teacher training, and real-world exposure. The Renuka Swarup Memorial Girls’ High School lab, thus, marks a significant step in encouraging girls to pursue STEM education. Sudhanshu Sharma of India STEM Foundation summed it up: “This partnership will inspire young minds to drive the future of technology and societal progress.”
{{/usCountry}}The Pune lab is part of a wider effort. Since 2022, six STEM Innovation Labs have been set up across India, reaching over 4,700 students. Through the ‘Educate to Empower’ initiative, the programme seeks to build inclusive and equitable learning ecosystems by combining advanced technology, teacher training, and real-world exposure. The Renuka Swarup Memorial Girls’ High School lab, thus, marks a significant step in encouraging girls to pursue STEM education. Sudhanshu Sharma of India STEM Foundation summed it up: “This partnership will inspire young minds to drive the future of technology and societal progress.”
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