143 Students Achieve Digital Literacy Milestone Through Kaushalyan around Tata Steel’s operation at Bamnipal

Bamnipal, October 23, 2024: 143 students at Government High School, Tomka, Bamnipal,
completed a three-month digital skilling course under the ‘Kaushalyan Project’, a collaborative
initiative by Tata Steel Foundation, HP, and Society for All Round Development (SARD). The
initiative aims to empower students from rural and tribal communities with essential computer
skills, equipping them for a tech-enabled future and professional opportunities for shaping their
livelihoods thereby bridging the digital divide.
The felicitation ceremony organised on the occasion was graced by Adarsh Agarwal, Head of
Ferro Alloy Plant (Bamnipal), Tata Steel, along with Bijay Kumar Jena, Sarpanch, Deulakan
Gram Panchayat, Rajalaxmi Mohapatra, Sarpanch, Kiajhar Gram Panchayat, Narottam Behera,
Social Worker, and the TSF and SARD field team members. While, ten outstanding students were
honoured with prizes for their exceptional performance during the course by the dignitaries, all the
students were awarded with ‘Course Completion Certificates’ on the occasion.
The comprehensive three-month training covered fundamental computer concepts and practical
skills in MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint), internet navigation, and popular applications such
as YouTube, Gmail, study apps, and various key social media platforms. Alongside their academic
curriculum, students received hands-on experience with new-age technology, ensuring they are
well-prepared for both academic and personal growth in today’s digital world. This achievement
marks a crucial step in fostering digital inclusion and empowering rural communities through
technology.
By reaching out to schools and Gram Panchayats with mobile computer labs, ‘Kaushalyan’
ensures that students, especially those in Classes 9 to 12 are equipped with digital skills essential
for life and livelihood. The programme not only strengthens the digital training infrastructure but
also enables long-term educational engagement, with increased attendance and enthusiasm among
students, helping to reduce dropout rates within schools and classrooms.
A mobile computer lab and classroom on wheels, ‘Kaushalyan’ aims to make digital literacy
accessible to youth in rural and tribal areas, traversing through the remotest corners and reaching
the farthest habitations in Odisha. By bringing technology education directly to the rural and tribal
communities, it empowers youth, especially students, with essential skills, paving the path for a
more inclusive, tech-enabled future.