It all began in class 7 when he learned about the vastness of space and the solar system. From then on, his curiosity about the universe grew, and he wanted to know more about other planets like Earth. The wonders of Kepler's planets fascinated him, sparking his passion for space exploration. Kiran frequents the internet for videos and readings about all things space.

Government high school students like Kiran often face challenges with resource allocation, insufficient teaching materials and limited access to technology. These can hinder students' ability to learn effectively and limit their exposure to 21st century educational tools. Despite constraints, the spirit of students like Kiran is unwavering, and we have been fortunate enough to be part of their journey -- doing every little bit we can, rooting for them.

Kiran is part of our Schools program funded by Morgan Stanley. This project is designed to equip young learners with vital 21st century skills and a STEM mindset. His involvement in this has begun to shape his understanding of gender, STEM mindset, and enrich his critical thinking. 

He believes critical thinking is key to solving life's challenges creatively. With this newfound knowledge, he envisions a future with smokeless vehicles and wireless technology, benefiting the environment and society.

“We need to think beyond wires and try to make wireless things. Vehicles emitting smoke are polluting our environment and we need to have smokeless vehicles. By bringing in critical thinking we can overcome these challenges.”

Science excites him, but he's also wary of its consequences. He embraces practical exploration, spending time in his school's science lab, marveling at machines, and fostering his scientific mind. The recent feats of Chandrayaan and ChatGPT inspire him further.

Kiran helps his mother with daily chores, but the sessions on gender sensitization have helped him understand the nuances of gender-based discrimination. As he dives into coding with Scratch, tech and creativity intertwine. He has learned to use this block-based coding platform as his canvas for storytelling, animation, and games. Kiran seamlessly blends classroom learning with Scratch's magic, making concepts like angles and coordinates beautiful and understandable. At the recent Scratch Day event, he showcased astronauts landing on the moon -- inspired by the Chandrayaan mission. 

The other thing that stood out for us about Kiran – apart from his boundless curiosity – was that his ambitions extend beyond himself. He envisions simplifying mathematical concepts to teach younger students. Kiran wants to help younger learners, inspiring them to reach for the stars, just as he does.

In a world filled with constraints, Kiran's indomitable spirit to learn more about something he is fascinated by, ignites a spark of hope for us. On most days, we learn a lot more from students like him than they do from us.

In collaboration with Morgan Stanley, since 2022, Quest Alliance has been working in 6 government schools across Bangalore. The project reached out to 2,000 students during the academic year 2022-23. Through the project, we are equipping learners with vital 21st century skills and STEM mindsets, enabling them to break gender barriers, use tech to bring ideas to life, learn independently and effectively, and widen their career avenues. 

Read more about our Schools Program here.