Shimla, June 27, 2025, Nalin Sharma – In a compelling step towards reimagining education for the 21st century, Deepspatial Inc., in collaboration with The Indian Express, hosted a landmark edition of “Voices of the Future”, a flagship student engagement series under the edskExpress initiative. The virtual event, streamed live across Himachal Pradesh, brought together a vibrant audience of over 2,500 participants, including students, principals, SCERT and DIET professionals, and Samagra Shiksha officials, marking a powerful confluence of policy, pedagogy, and participation.
The session featured an in-depth dialogue with Rajesh Sharma, IFS and State Project Director, Samagra Shiksha Abhiyan, Himachal Pradesh, who candidly shared insights on transforming school education in the state. The discussion was anchored by two formidable voices in journalism -Dr. Deepa Gupta, Executive Editor at Deepspatial, and Meenakshi Ray, Senior Assistant Editor at The Indian Express.
Key Highlights from the Session:
Tech as an Equalizer:
Mr. Sharma emphasized that for a geographically complex state like Himachal Pradesh, technology is more than a tool; it is a bridge. He articulated how smart classrooms, ICT-enabled learning, and real-time teacher monitoring systems are being scaled, especially in tribal and remote districts, ensuring equitable access for all.
Restoring Trust in Public Education:
Mr. Sharma passionately spoke of restoring parental faith by focusing on quality outcomes, teacher training, and infrastructure development, backed by initiatives like PM SHRI schools and STAR (World Bank-supported) programs
Empowering Girls & Inclusive Learning:
Mr. Sharma shared that the dropout rate among girls is now significantly lower than that of boys, an achievement he credits to inclusive policy reforms, access to residential facilities like Kasturba Gandhi Balika Vidyalayas, and a strong community outreach. He also addressed the challenges of sensitizing families about disabilities in children, and integrating them into mainstream education.
Teacher Capacity Building:
A robust plan was shared on empowering teachers through structured digital pedagogy training, including collaborations, to elevate English proficiency and digital confidence among educators.
Vocational Training and Future Skills:
Mr. Sharma outlined the state’s commitment to NEP 2020 goals, especially the integration of skill development into mainstream education. He announced that Himachal has already surpassed the national target of covering 50% schools with vocational programs, aiming to make students job-ready and entrepreneurially inclined.
Community-Led Success Stories:
From the digital transformation of tribal schools in Chamba to nurturing girl leaders in remote valleys, the session highlighted unheard stories of resilience and reform. A live interaction with students and educators from a tribal residential school in Chamba, led by Dr. Manjula Sharma, added emotional depth and visual testimony to the progress on the ground.
Vision 2030 and Beyond:
Mr. Sharma laid out a clear path to educational excellence by 2030, focusing on raising learning outcomes, rebuilding trust in public schooling, and making government schools are aspirational through innovation, equity, and transparency.
A Platform for Real Stories and Real Impact
The event underscored edskExpress’s commitment to democratizing news, narratives, and knowledge for students. Launched by Deepspatial in collaboration with The Indian Express, edskExpress is India’s first digital news platform tailored for young learners, integrating curated content, civic engagement, and digital literacy within classrooms.
Saurabh Tyagi, Chief Marketing Officer of Deepspatial, summed up the spirit of the Initiative:
“‘Voices of the Future’ is more than an event; it’s a mission to bring dignity, dialogue, and discovery into every classroom. At Deepspatial, we believe stories are the shortest route to change. This session showed how inclusive policymaking, when met with grassroots innovation and platforms like edskExpress, can amplify not just voices but outcomes. My heartfelt gratitude to Rajesh Sharma for his candour, to SCERT and Samagra Shiksha for their trust, and to the children and educators who made the session unforgettable. Together, we’re not just chronicling education -we’re co-creating it.”
About edskExpress:
edskExpress is a pioneering digital news platform developed by Deepspatial Inc. and The Indian Express Group to make news literacy an integral part of education. Set for an official state launch, the platform aims to reach over 20,000 schools with age-appropriate content, mentorship programs, and youth journalism.
