In an event marked by several education ministry initiatives, the official launch of edskExpress stood out amidst loud applause from all present at the conference hall of the Peterhof in Shimla, even as the serene mountains witnessed the historic moment that now stands recorded in the annals of time.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu unveiled edskExpress – a one of its kind platform for the children of government schools in the state of Himachal Pradesh – in the presence of Education Minister Rohit Thakur, State Project Director, Samagra Shiksha, Rajesh Sharma, Director School Education Ashish Kohli and Secretary Education Rakesh Kanwar, along with Saurabh Tyagi, Chief Marketing Officer, Deepspatial Inc, and stakeholders from Indian Express Digital.
The first state in the country to roll out this entirely student-centric digital news platform, edskExpress was conceived at Deepspatial and seamlessly collaborates with The Indian Express, a publisher rooted in grassroot journalism. The platform is not merely a news portal for school going children; it is a unique platform that fills their curious minds with news that fits in with their age and requirement. It offers immense opportunity to them by way of writing their stories, reading what is meant for them, interacting in various online sessions with mentors and more. Rajesh Sharma who has earlier been part of a live session organized by Deepspatial and attended by hundreds of students, teachers and principals from Himachal, said, “Today marks a proud and defining moment for Himachal Pradesh. edskExpress is not merely a news platform, it is a stage for our students to voice their perspectives, document their realities, and celebrate their communities on state and national level. This initiative is in direct continuation of the Hon’ble Chief Minister’s vision of creating an empowered, aware, and progressive youth who will lead the state into a brighter future. By engaging students as Vidyarthi Patrakars, storytellers and citizen journalists, we are set to foster project-based learning, multilingual expression, and vital 21st-century skills like communication, critical thinking, and civic participation. I am confident that this will not just change how students consume information, but also how they contribute to the narrative of development in Himachal Pradesh.”
edskExpress is all set to train Vidyarthi Patrakars, student reporters from government schools across the state, to create digital content that documents stories of their schools, teachers, traditions, civic developments, and communities. The initiative aligns with the vision of the National Education Policy 2020, promoting experiential learning and preparing students for active, informed citizenship. Saurabh lauded the vision of Deepspatial saying, “This is not just the launch of a platform, but
the beginning of a movement. edskExpress is designed to empower students to become storytellers, chroniclers, and change-makers in their own communities. When young minds are given the tools to observe, question, and express, we don’t just inform them – we transform them.”
A memento on this occasion was presented to Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, Education Minister Rohit Thakur, and Secretary Education Rakesh Kanwar by Saurabh Tyagi. The Indian Express team and Saurabh Tyagi were also felicitated, and shawls along with Himachali caps were presented to them by the Chief Minister, who also launched a series of other initiatives under Samagra Shiksha, including the appointment of 312 Drawing Teachers, the Smart Attendance System, and real-time dashboards.
