In many parts of rural India, access to quality education and technology still feels like a distant dream. But for 22-year-old Harshini Kishore Singh, this gap is not just a statistic — it’s a personal mission. An entrepreneurship graduate from Madurai, Harshini is the founder of Rural Tech Rise, an initiative dedicated to bridging the digital and entrepreneurial divide for children in underprivileged communities. By day, she trains rural students in technology and digital literacy; by night, she works as an IT professional to fund her cause. Her story is one of quiet determination — of how one young woman is using technology and Virtual Reality (VR) to reshape learning in India’s forgotten corners.
I’m writing about Harshini’s work because it reflects the power of grassroots innovation — how ordinary citizens can bring extraordinary change without waiting for large-scale interventions. Her efforts show that meaningful impact begins when one person takes responsibility to solve a local problem. In a time when technology is transforming cities at lightning speed, initiatives like Rural Tech Rise remind us that real progress happens when rural children, too, get the tools to dream, learn, and build their own futures. Harshini’s work is not just about education — it’s about equality and opportunity.
Who is Harshini Kishore Singh
Born and raised in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, Harshini grew up observing the sharp contrast between urban access to education and the struggles of children in rural areas. After completing her degree in entrepreneurship, she decided to use her knowledge to tackle this divide. Instead of pursuing a typical corporate career, she started Rural Tech Rise, a platform that introduces STEM education, digital literacy, and VR-based learning to children in government schools and villages.
She started small — with borrowed laptops, open-source software, and a handful of volunteers. But the results were immediate. Children who had never touched a computer before began learning basic coding, exploring VR-based science experiments, and understanding global concepts that once seemed unreachable.
The idea behind Rural Tech Rise
The core belief behind Harshini’s initiative is simple — technology should not be a privilege, it should be a right. Rural Tech Rise provides digital literacy workshops, coding boot camps, and hands-on science learning modules using affordable Virtual Reality tools.
Through interactive VR sessions, students can now “see” the solar system, understand anatomy through 3D visuals, and experience real-life simulations of science experiments — something traditional classrooms in rural schools often lack due to limited resources.
Harshini’s mission focuses on three pillars:
- Digital Access: Providing computers and internet access to rural schools.
- Tech Literacy: Teaching students basic programming, robotics, and data skills.
- Entrepreneurial Thinking: Encouraging students to use innovation to solve local problems.
How she manages both worlds
Balancing a full-time IT job and a social initiative is no small feat. Harshini works in the tech industry by night to fund her passion project during the day. She often spends weekends conducting workshops in remote villages or coordinating with schools and local volunteers.
Her commitment to the cause has drawn attention from educators and local administrators who now collaborate with Rural Tech Rise to bring these sessions to more schools across Tamil Nadu. What started as a personal effort has gradually evolved into a community-driven initiative involving teachers, parents, and local youth.
The role of VR in rural education
Virtual Reality (VR) may sound futuristic for rural India, but Harshini is proving that it can be made accessible and affordable. Using low-cost headsets and open-source 3D content, her team creates immersive lessons that make learning both fun and relatable. For instance:
- In one session, students used VR to explore India’s geographical features.
- In another, they virtually visited the International Space Station to learn about gravity and motion.
These interactive lessons keep students engaged and help them understand complex concepts visually — something that textbooks alone often fail to do.
Empowering through entrepreneurship
Harshini’s vision goes beyond classroom learning. She wants to nurture rural entrepreneurs — students who can one day use technology to solve local challenges in agriculture, health, and infrastructure. Through Rural Tech Rise, she mentors older students in business thinking, problem-solving, and creative design.
For many of these students, it’s the first time someone has told them that their ideas matter. By combining entrepreneurship with education, Harshini is helping them see possibilities beyond traditional career paths.
Impact so far
Since its launch, Rural Tech Rise has reached several schools and learning centres across Tamil Nadu and neighbouring regions. Hundreds of students have been trained in basic computer literacy, and dozens have completed VR-enabled learning modules in science and geography.
Teachers have also reported improved attendance and enthusiasm in classrooms after the workshops. Some students have even gone on to represent their schools in regional innovation contests, showcasing projects inspired by their Rural Tech Rise sessions.
| Area of Work | Key Achievements |
|---|---|
| Digital Literacy | Trained 800+ students in rural areas |
| VR Learning | Introduced affordable VR labs in 10 schools |
| Entrepreneurship | Conducted 15+ innovation workshops for youth |
| Community Outreach | Partnered with local teachers and volunteers |
Why her work matters
India has over 250 million school-going children, but only a small fraction have access to digital tools or computer education. In rural areas, poor infrastructure and lack of resources make it difficult for students to compete with their urban peers. Harshini’s work shows that change is possible when technology is made accessible at the grassroots level.
Her story also challenges the stereotype that real innovation comes only from big cities or funded startups. Sometimes, it comes from one determined individual who chooses to act.
