TUMAKURU: After a gap of six decades, a star alumnus will reconnect with his alma mater in Madhugiri in Tumakuru district on Saturday, and gift equipment which will benefit thousands of children. IT behemoth Infosys mentor NR Narayana Murthy, who studied in Class 8 and 9 here back in 1958-59, will virtually launch ‘Doora Taranga Shikshana’ for SSLC students and ‘Koushalya Naipunya’ for ITI.
The schemes are conceptualised by Swami Sri Japanananda of Ramakrishna Sevashrama of Pavagada, and sponsored by Infosys Foundation for the benefit of students of Madhugiri educational district, comprising Koratagere, Pavagada and Sira taluks.
The select 20 schools include Murthy’s government high school in Madhugiri town. Murthy has deep links with the school, where his father N R Rama Rao was headmaster. Each of the schools will get a projector, digital screen, laptop, besides UPS, in the first phase.
“Not only SSLC students, Class VIII and IX students will also get an opportunity to learn through digital teaching, and over 10,000 of them will benefit. Instead of learning on small-screen cellphones, learning from a big digital screen is good for the children’s eyes as well,” the seer told TNIE.
He thanked Infosys Foundation chairperson Sudha Murty for supporting the pro-poor schemes he has conceptualised. ‘Samarpan’, a team of volunteers from Infosys, include Jagadish Purohit, software engineers Ashutosh Gupta and Deepti Gupta, and project coordinator B Mahesh, have joined hands to train children.
Digital learning will give an edge to students of backward areas, especially during the pandemic, observed Narayan of Matrix Technologies. Murthy (74), who is Chairman Emeritus of Infosys, will address educators and students at noon at a function to be presided over by Primary and Secondary Education Minister S Suresh Kumar. Former MLC Padma Shri Doddarange Gowda is waiting impatiently to participate in the programme. He has the unique distinction of being Murthy’s benchmate in high school.