THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A team of UAE high school students has officially opened an upgraded Robotics and AI lab at Mar Thoma Central School in Cherunniyoor, Varkala. The facility represents the seventh installation completed under the Robotics, AI, and Innovation Lab (RAIL) project -- an initiative supported by Kochi-based Unique World Robotics that relies on students to design, fund and maintain tech hubs for their peers in underserved areas.
Built to introduce programming and automation right from the primary grades, the new setup replaces a basic facility originally established at the school four years ago. The original 2022 laboratory space has been completely overhauled with modern infrastructure and advanced hardware kits to support practical learning across all grade levels.
To launch the revamped facility, the UAE student team conducted a week-long training programme titled ‘Future Ready Yatra’, delivering hands-on instruction in robotics, artificial intelligence and coding to local students from Class 1 to 12.
The student trainer cohort driving this effort includes Nikhilesh Kakkar, Shaurya Choudhary, Aditya Anand, Kritin Satya, Aarnav Bhargava, Muhammed Mifzal Mahroof, Chanukya Teketi, Shyon Sable, Pranav Praveen Nair, and Sana Kaushik.
Since its inception, the RAIL project has expanded to multiple schools across the country, including key rural facilities such as the Panampatta New UP School in Maloor, Kannur. Banson Thomas, founder and CEO of Unique World Robotics, highlighted that the student leaders independently select underserved schools, design the facilities and teach their peers directly — a student-led instructional model unprecedented in India.