How curiosity and creativity are transforming rural education in India

Hans India

3 days ago

For Adhirath Sethi—author, entrepreneur, and trustee of the Agastya International Foundation—the journey of capturing Agastya's evolution into a movement of transformation was deeply personal. His book, 'The Moving of Mountains', is not just a commemoration of Agastya's 20-year journey; it is a compelling narrative of how access to curiosity and creativity can uplift entire communities.
'Access to science and creativity,' says Sethi, 'is not just about conducting experiments—it's about unlocking identity.' In rural India, where under-resourced schools often limit learning to rote memorisation, the idea of hands-on science can be alien to most children. 'When a mobile science lab rolls into a village, it's not just delivering lessons—it's delivering permission to imagine,' he reflects. 'It tells a child, 'You are allowed to ask questions, to think differently, to dream.' That's a powerful shift.'
Agastya's approach begins with sparking curiosity but goes far beyond. Its educational model places equal emphasis on caring and confidence. 'What we realised,' says Sethi, 'is that children didn't just need tools to learn—they needed someone to believe in their ability to think. Curiosity leads to confidence, and confidence leads to action.'
This model has proven especially powerful for girls. Over 424,000 of them have directly benefited from Agastya's programs, learning to code, innovate, and lead. But as Sethi explains, the path isn't easy. 'Systemic barriers like early marriage, limited mobility, and gender stereotypes often restrict a girl's potential before she even has a chance to explore it,' he says. 'Agastya flips that script by creating opportunities for girls to lead—especially through initiatives like the Young Instructor Leader (YIL) program.'
In this program, girls are trained to teach others, instantly shifting them from learners to leaders. 'That transition—from being told what to do, to being looked up to—is profound,' Sethi says. 'It transforms not just the individual girl but also how her family and community perceive her.'
One powerful story from 'The Moving of Mountains' features a young girl whose family was on the verge of selling their only cow after her father lost his job. Drawing on the problem-solving mindset she had gained through Agastya, she convinced her family to hold on. Shortly after, the cow gave birth to three calves. The resulting income helped stabilise the household, and the girl went on to pursue engineering. 'That wasn't just book learning,' says Sethi. 'It was applied intelligence, grounded empathy, and belief in one's ability to navigate crisis. Stories like this are what make Agastya's model so impactful.'
For Sethi, 'The Moving of Mountains' is also a 'blueprint for change'—a phrase he uses intentionally. 'If we want to lift communities out of poverty, we have to stop seeing creativity as a luxury,' he asserts. 'It's foundational. Policymakers and educators must realise that mindset matters more than materials.' He draws an analogy from cricket. 'India has always had talent, but in the past, we judged players purely by statistics like batting averages. That didn't always produce match-winners. As we began to evaluate players more holistically, we saw real champions emerge.' Likewise, Sethi argues, education systems focused solely on marks fail to recognise children's real-world potential. 'Agastya shows us that when you look beyond the surface—beyond grades—you uncover hidden strengths. That's how you nurture children who become match-winners in life.'
Sethi's deep-dive into the workings of Agastya involved conversations with everyone—from grassroots educators to senior leadership. What stood out, he says, was the organisation's soul. 'Despite having impacted over 25 million children, Agastya carries no air of self-congratulation,' he observes. 'There is a pervasive humility—an ethos of learning, not arrival.'
He shares a memory of a mobile lab instructor who, even after years of service, confessed to feeling nervous before every session. 'He said he wanted to give his best to the children, every single time. That kind of quiet, unmeasured integrity—that's the heartbeat of Agastya.'
Writing 'The Moving of Mountains' changed Sethi's own perspective on education and poverty. 'I used to think education was about information delivery,' he admits. 'But I've come to realise it's really about identity formation. The essential question isn't, 'What did the child learn?'—it's, 'What did the child come to believe about themselves after learning?''
He adds, 'Poverty is not just a lack of resources. It's a lack of opportunity to think freely, to ask 'why,' to express curiosity without fear. Agastya creates that opportunity. And that, to me, is where meaningful change begins.'
Ultimately, 'The Moving of Mountains' is not merely a tribute to a successful NGO. It's a resonant call to educators, innovators, and changemakers across India. As Sethi writes, transformation doesn't come through grand reforms alone—it comes from one curious child, in one remote village, daring to think beyond their circumstances.