Paromita Sengupta (Bengaluru)

Gangan (centre): STEM missionary

Sarang Gangan is founder-CEO of the Gurugram-based Eduphoria Solutions LLP (estb.2017, headcount: 10), an edtech start-up that offers primary-secondary schools a bouquet of solutions to promote hands-on STEM learning and enhance quality and disseminate science and tech education countrywide.

Currently, the company provides end-to-end solutions for installing customised innovation and tinkering labs including multi-phased teacher training, industrial visits and technical support and maintenance, in primary-secondary schools. Thus far, Eduphoria has impacted over 150,000 students in 150 private and public schools in ten states countrywide.

Newspeg. To support government think-tank NITI Aayog’s Atal Tinkering Labs (ATLs) initiative to develop a national culture of STEM innovation, Eduphoria has established over 25 ATLs in schools in six states during the past six months. “NITI Aayog awards eligible schools a grant of Rs.12 lakh of which Rs.7 lakh is earmarked for lab installation and Rs.5 lakh for school infrastructure. That’s where we come in,” explains Gangan.

History. An engineering and business management alumnus of the Bhilai Institute of Technology, Durg, and Institute of Management, Development and Research, Pune, Sarang Gangan acquired 14 years of industry experience after which in 2017, he decided to invest his personal savings (Rs.5 lakh) to promote Eduphoria and showcase his entrepreneurial skills.

Direct talk. ”I was raised in the Central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh and schooled in Narsinghpur, a small town with unimaginably poor quality teaching in the government school. Eduphoria was born out of the need to substantially improve the quality of education in tier-II-III cities and towns by leveraging new-age technologies and introducing comprehensive STEM learning programmes. NITI Aayog’s ATL initiative fits in beautifully with our mission to foster curiosity, creativity and imagination in young minds,” says Sarang Gangan.

Future plans. Encouraged by steady business revenue growth even in the turbulent pandemic year, Gangan has ambitious future plans. “Bihar and Jharkhand are going to be our next thrust areas. Recently we’ve finalised the design of a DIY science kit. This year, we intend to reach 250 schools and impact at least half a million students,” he enthuses.

Fair winds!