Rotary It Innovation Laboratory Inaugurated In Palghar

“Think Big!” exhorted DGE Sandip Agarwalla, as he set the tone for the inauguration of Rotary Club of Bombay’s new IT Innovation Laboratory in Palghar on Sunday, February 13th, 2022. Funded by a generous donation from the Mahansaria Group of Industries, courtesy of our own Rtn. Yogesh Mahansaria, a one-ofits- kind, state-of-the-art has been set up at ST Kadam School in Palghar to impart handson technology skills training to needy school children and youth of Palghar District.

Chief Guest Rtn. Yogesh observed, when speaking at the inauguration, that we all see in our businesses and professions that our education system today still imparts the theoretical knowledge of yesterday, whereas what our youth needs are skills of tomorrow. Set up at a capital cost of Rs. 50 lakhs and annual operating expense of Rs. 40 lakhs, the Rotary Innovation Laboratory runs courses in the Internet of Things (IoT) and 3D Printing using a unique blend of cloud-based learning and hands-on, applied technology modules.

President Shernaz Vakil applauded the establishment of the new Rotary IT Innovation Laboratory, emphasising the need to equip our children and youth with technology skills that will be vital for their future prospects and their
employability.

Chairman of the IT Innovation Committee, Rtn. Rohan Dalal explained to the audience how the laboratory was set up and its running in January – vision, execution, a true team effort, attention to detail, and with the invaluable help of our partners on the ground, Rotary Club of Palghar and Jivan Vikas Shikshan Sanstha, the trust that runs the charitable school in Palghar. From (i) transforming an empty tin-roofed space to a state-of-the-art laboratory equipped with learning kits, fully networked laptop computers and 3D printers, (ii) engaging a committed, expert knowledge partner Grok Learning, appointing and training teachers and (iii) building industry connections for youth aged 18-25 to get employment opportunities for the economy of tomorrow, the IT Innovation Committee, guided by PE Vineet Bhatnagar and the untiring efforts of Rtn. Abhishek Saraf, managed to bring this project to fruition within a challenging, uncertainty-filled span of six months.

DGE Sandip Agarwalla said that projects such as this have to be divisible, replicable and scalable. “We want to build several such centres of excellence using this model. Rotary Club of Bombay has shown it can be done to high quality
standards and we want to see this expand to the district and even nationwide.

Nitin Komawar of Grok Learning, our knowledge partner for this project, explained how as a serial Bay Area entrepreneur he decried the gap between what the industry of tomorrow needs and how that motivated him and his team to engage with the problem to make a real difference.

In a walkthrough of the laboratory, students demonstrated how the kits work using real examples of innovative projects they are working on. Besides several Rotarians of our Club, the inauguration was handsomely attended by RCB members, trustees and faculty of ST Kadam school, local dignitaries in Palghar and members of the press.