Smart class, smart move Mankind Pharma powers up classrooms

MUMBAI: When chalk meets chips, classrooms get a quiet upgrade. In Ghaziabad, learning just went digital as Mankind Pharma Limited switched on a new set of digital smart classrooms under its flagship CSR platform, Kindcare, giving government school students a front-row seat to technology-led education.

The initiative was inaugurated in partnership with SEEDS Impact by Sunil Kumar Sharma, cabinet minister for information technology and electronics, government of Uttar Pradesh, in the presence of Mankind Pharma chief executive officer Sheetal Arora. The launch marks another milestone in the company’s effort to move learning beyond blackboards and into interactive, tech-enabled spaces.

The Digital Smart Classroom Initiative targets 400 government schools across Uttar Pradesh, with 460 classrooms already operational, reaching thousands of students. Equipped with tools such as the K-Yan digital learning device, the classrooms deliver curriculum-aligned audio-visual lessons, helping simplify complex concepts and improve engagement, particularly in schools where physical infrastructure is limited.

Crucially, the programme goes beyond hardware. More than 2,400 teachers have already undergone structured training to confidently integrate digital tools into daily teaching. The support system includes hands-on workshops, classroom simulations, helplines and digital peer communities, designed to ensure the technology does not gather dust once the launch banners come down.

Speaking at the inauguration, Sharma said the initiative addresses critical gaps in access and quality at a time when digital literacy is no longer optional. Arora added that the focus is not technology for its own sake, but dignity, opportunity and ensuring children in underserved regions are not left behind in an increasingly digital world.

SEEDS Impact CEO R Purushotham noted that the collaboration has the potential to scale further, creating pathways for technology to reach even more students across the state.

The Digital Smart Classroom Initiative is a core pillar of Kindcare, Mankind Pharma’s CSR framework spanning health and hygiene, education, environment and livelihood development. With district-level execution and measurable outcomes at its core, the programme reflects a simple idea with long-term impact: when classrooms get smarter, futures follow suit.