Bangalore based Agastya International Foundation wins Google Impact Challenge in India

Agastya receives Rs. 3 crores, 10 Nexus tablets along with the support from Google to materialize their dream project into reality. End Quote

(1888PressRelease) November 13, 2013 - Bangalore - Agastya International Foundation, a Bangalore based NGO which sparks curiosity and nurtures creativity among economically underprivileged rural children and teachers, was announced recently as one of the four winners of the Google Impact Challenge in India by a judges panel. Agastya won the prestigious Global Impact Award by Google for their project -'Launch a network of motorbike science labs to address the lack of science equipment and digital resources for rural children', which aims to bridge the digital divide and make learning accessible to 65,000 children and 3,000 teachers in Karnataka.

Agastya International Foundation provides science, technology, engineering and math education to isolated rural communities in India. Agastya has directly reached over 5 million disadvantaged children (50% girls) and 150,000 teachers. With their 172-acre campus, 75 Mobile Labs and 33 Science Centers, Agastya provides 1.5 million exposures annually.

Many non-profit organizations participated in Google Impact Challenge. The ten finalists pitched their concepts live to a panel of judges that included: Nikesh Arora, Sr. VP & Chief Business Officer, Google Inc.; Ram Shriram, founding board member, Google Inc.; Jacquelline Fuller, Director, Google Giving; Anu Aga, Social Worker and former Chairperson, Thermax and Jayant Sinha, MD, Omidyar Network India Advisors.

Ram Shriram, judge and Google board member said in a Google press release: "Technology is an intrinsic part of our everyday lives. Its potential, if harnessed effectively, could play a pivotal role in bringing positive change in society. The Google Impact Challenge is aimed at celebrating and accelerating the best technological innovations developed by the bright minds of our country with an agenda to make a positive impact in the society. We congratulate all the winners and wish them success for their social initiatives."

On winning the award, Thiagarajan K, Chief Operating Officer, Agastya International Foundation said, "We are pleased to win the prestigious Global Impact Award by Google and feel greatly motivated that our innovative social project has gained global recognition. Over the next three years, Agastya will reach children and teachers at 1,620 rural schools with the blended learning program in science through the TechLaBike project. The grant will go a long way in helping Agastya achieve its target of impacting the lives of 50 million children and 1 million teachers by 2020."

About Global Impact Awards
The Google Impact Challenge travels to different regions, asking local non-profits how they would use tech to make a better world, and inviting the public to vote for the project with the greatest impact potential. The Google Impact Challenge in India encourages Indian nonprofits to share how they would use tech innovation and Google support to improve India and the world. Launched in August 2013, the public will select a non-profit to receive Rs. 3 crores (approximately $500,000) Global Impact Award. The remaining 3 winners will be selected by a judging panel. For more information visit: http://www.google.com/giving/global-impact-awards/challenge/#content-india.

About Agastya International Foundation
Agastya International Foundation is a non for profit charitable educational trust that seeks to transform and stimulate the thinking of economically disadvantaged children. Agastya achieves its goals by bringing innovative science education to the doorstep of Government schools in currently 13 states in India. Agastya offers disadvantaged children access to dynamic hands-on education that makes learning fun, awakens curiosity, encourages questioning, enhances understanding, and fosters creative-thinking, problem-solving and communication skills. Agastya has 75 Mobile Science Labs which takes science education to the village doorstep; 33 Science Centres and a 172-acre Creativity Lab campus in Andhra Pradesh. The Prime Minister's National Knowledge Commission has recommended India-wide scale up of the Agastya model; and the Clinton Global Initiative has also recognized Agastya's 'commitment to action'. For more information visit www.agastya.org.

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