July 18, 2024

As part of our robotics outreach program, we've begun a series of workshops to raise STEM awareness and education throughout India. Our first stop was the Shri Gulab Rai Inter College, located in the city of Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh, a few hours east of Delhi. Many students at the public school had never encountered robotics from a competitive or educational viewpoint. Most spoke only Hindi, but we were able to bridge the communication gap through the use of a translator.

As India is a rapidly developing country, STEM is an increasingly crucial field. Civil engineers and architects are utilized more than ever to fix inner-city infrastructure issues. Meanwhile, the tech scene in India is growing exponentially, with computer scientists and electrical engineers being regarded as highly sought-after positions. This rise of scientific and engineering ideals in India are giving way to an era of entrepreneurs. Rather than chasing positions in large corporations, young people are beginning to seek solutions to problems around them their own way. STEM is a field that will be vital to India's future, and by introducing their youth to the opportunity for experimentation and education, Robotics for Everyone seeks to present Indian students with the chance to be self-starters.

At the presentation, students were introduced to the basics of robotics, including big-picture applications, components of a robot, and how robots can be used to teach and learn complex topics, as well as engage students.

After a demonstration of a few robots, we engaged students with an interactive coding problem, and gave them a simple understanding of programming fundamentals. Though many in marginalized and often overlooked areas of India don't have access to STEM role models, the students are always eager to engage in fun and forward-thinking lessons, as a way to dip their toes into the world of robotics.