BenQ India, a leading provider of advanced display technology solutions, recently entered into a collaboration with Ranjitsingh Disale Foundation – an Indo-American NGO focused on technology-powered rural education in India – to strengthen its objective of ‘promoting education through technology adoption and enhancing learning experiences for students’ in marginalized regions.
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Through this collaboration, BenQ India has installed interactive displays in as many as 20 Zila Parishad schools in Sholapur district in Maharashtra. Install of these interactive panels facilitate easy access by the students and teachers in these schools to the digital content, collaborate on projects, and learn in new and innovative ways.
Founded by Ranjitsingh Mahadev Disale, a coveted Indian educator and the only Indian winner of the prestigious ‘Global Teacher Prize, the Foundation (RDF) is actually a partnership venture between Disale, and nine other finalists of the Award.
(Referred to as Nobel Prize for teaching by the world media, the Global Teacher Prize is an annual US $1 million award instituted by the UK-based Varkey Foundation to honour teachers who have made outstanding contribution to the profession, globally. Disale, a native of Paritewadi village in Solapur district of Maharashtra won this award in 2020, due to his incredibly great work in promoting rural education by means of technology that elevated him to global accolades.)
Ranjitsinh Disale’s commitment and vision of technology adoption for large-scale social impact and change, especially in the sphere of rural education, are in harmony with the goals and vision of BenQ’s India Corporate Social Responsibility programme.
The interactive displays installed by the Taiwanese visual solutions major will go beyond being a mere educational tool and aim at serving the ultimate purpose of acting as a window to the world for these children. According to the company, this collaboration with Ranjitsinh Disale Foundation aims at bringing about a holistic change in education standards – a move that hopes to establish parity in the learning curves of the children in the aforementioned community and those in well-resourced regions.
As a part of this partnership, the children were able to witness and marvel at the landing of the Vikram lander, which was a part of the historic Chandrayaan-3 lunar exploration mission.
With this collaboration, both BenQ India and the Ranjitsinh Disale Foundation hope to provide exposure to the children on information and resources previously not accessible to them – including international educators, digital content and relevant projects. This is a long-term project for both parties as the aim is to provide community intervention until education standards are uplifted.
As a part of the sustenance part of this collaboration, BenQ India has also provided Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) devices for power backup, apart from a central Device Management System (DMS) which will monitor all the interactive displays. BenQ India has configured the devices to ensure seamless display of English, Hindi, and Marathi language content, as well as setting up a Live WhatsApp group to provide technological assistance to educators and coordinators.
“At BenQ, we firmly believe in technology’s potential to revolutionize education and uplift students,” Rajeev Singh, Managing Director at BenQ India & South Asia says about the company’s vision on technology adoption and experience. “This impactful collaboration with the Ranjitsinh Disale Foundation will empower both students and educators to interact with digital content using innovative approaches,” he asserts. “This partnership underscores our dedication to narrowing educational disparities and nurturing a more promising future for students in rural India.”
Disale is grateful for the initiative taken by the Taiwanese major. “We are grateful to BenQ India for extending their support to provide these technology tools to our students and teachers community,” Disale said. “These Interactive Displays represent a significant stride forward for our schools, benefiting both students and educators alike. By enhancing the educational experience and fostering an environment of active participation, these BenQ Boards will undoubtedly elevate the quality of learning,” he commended. “We are excited about the potential they hold to transform education into a more interactive and engaging journey.”
BenQ India has a commendable tryst with the education sector in India as the company has a long history of social intervention in the country, including a donation of $1 million to support Covid-19 relief efforts. The firm remains socially responsible and remains committed to using its technology to generate a positive impact on underserved communities.
A special video the company’s latest initiative with the RDF is here for your visual pleasure: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECHJu-U7fUY&t=99s
