logo
Nagpur Powers Up India's First AI-Driven Anganwadi

Nagpur Powers Up India's First AI-Driven Anganwadi

Time of India3 days ago
1
2
Nagpur: In a landmark move to revolutionise early childhood education, India's first Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered Anganwadi was inaugurated in Nagpur district under the ambitious initiative Mission Bal Bharari.
Chief minister Devendra Fadnavis launched the pioneering project at Metro Bhavan, with several top dignitaries including Union minister Nitin Gadkari, state BJP president and guardian minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, and zilla parishad CEO Vinayak Mahamuni in attendance.
The pilot Anganwadi, set up at Waddhamna in Hingna taluka, boasts cutting-edge technology such as Virtual Reality (VR) headsets, AI-integrated smart dashboards, and interactive digital learning content.
"These facilities — rare even in premium private kindergartens — will be used to teach poems, songs, and curriculum in a highly engaging and innovative manner," said a senior official.
What makes this initiative particularly impactful is its aim to bridge the educational divide between rural and urban areas. "This is an emotional resolution to ensure every child learns with joy, curiosity, and confidence," said Mahamuni, adding that the goal is to bring a historic transformation in Maharashtra's early childhood education system.
As part of the mission, Anganwadi workers were trained to operate the advanced smart tools. The zilla parishad plans to expand this model by launching 40 more AI-powered Anganwadis across Nagpur district.
"Through Mission Bal Bharari, we are committed to giving kids from rural backgrounds same trust, exposure, and facilities that children in metropolitan cities receive at home or in private kindergartens," the CM said.
The launch event saw the presence of key political leaders including minister of state for agriculture Ashish Jaiswal, MLAs Krishna Khopde, Pravin Datke, and Sanjay Meshram, along with divisional commissioner Vijayalakshmi Bidari and district collector Vipin Itankar.
With Nagpur Zilla Parishad at the helm, this initiative also symbolises a visionary step toward inclusive and future-ready education.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

No local has joined terror groups in J&K in the last six months, says Amit Shah
No local has joined terror groups in J&K in the last six months, says Amit Shah

The Hindu

time17 minutes ago

  • The Hindu

No local has joined terror groups in J&K in the last six months, says Amit Shah

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Wednesday (July 30, 2025) that in the past six months, no local had joined any terrorist group in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). Those being killed in security operations in the Union Territory were all foreigners, he said. Also read: Parliament Monsoon session Day 8 highlights He said there should be no doubt that the three terrorists killed during Operation Mahadev on July 28 were the ones who carried out the Pahalgam terror attack, as the investigating agencies had matched their photos, and the evidence was backed by forensic reports. Opposition protests Mr. Shah was speaking on the success of Operation Sindoor in the Rajya Sabha. As he began his speech, Opposition leaders protested and shouted slogans demanding that Prime Minister Narendra Modi be present in the House. Leader of the Opposition Mallikarjun Kharge said the Prime Minister should have been present. Responding to this, Mr. Shah said, 'I am enough for you, if he comes here, you will be affected more. On what basis is Khargeji objecting? On most important issues, his party does not let him speak in the House.' 'CRPF tailed attackers' Speaking about Operation Mahadev, Mr. Shah said, 'It is clear that Lashkar-E-Taiba (LeT) was involved in the attack.' He identified the three killed terrorists as Suleman, alias Faizal Jatt, Hamza Afghani and Zibran. He said questions are being raised about the timing of the killings. 'I wanted to kill them the next second (after Pahalgam). They were hiding in unreachable heights; for 22 days the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans who tracked them in the jungle survived with food sent through drones,' the Minister said. To questions on how the terrorists were entering India, he said, 'They have built tunnels (along the border); there are some nallahs (water bodies); one cannot build even a post there; the force of water is such. We are finding technological solutions for this gap.' He said the priority of the Congress was its vote bank and not to end terrorism. The Opposition wants to secure its politics of secularism and appeasement, he alleged. 'The day Pahalgam happened, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) collected empty cartridges (from the Baisaran meadow). Forensics was done. After the three terrorists were killed, the rifles found with them were matched with the empty shells. It was established that the same weapons were used. At Pahalgam, 44 cartridges were found to be from M4 rifles, and 25 bullets were fired from two AK-47s. There is no doubt that these were the terrorists who carried out the attack. Their sketches were made; they were tracked,' Mr. Shah said. He said that the intelligence agencies got the information about the particular location of the terrorists on May 22, a month after Pahalgam. 'Intelligence Bureau and military intelligence did further investigation and on 22 July, a LoRa (communication device) was pinpointed (at Dachigam, where the terrorists were killed). I got numerous messages, including from the relatives of those killed in Pahalgam, that the terrorists should be shot in the head. I want to tell the families that they were shot in the head,' Mr. Shah said. He said the terrorists, by killing people in the name of religion, wanted to give a message that Kashmir will never be free of terrorism. He said a former Congress Chief Minister from Maharashtra remarked that all that the BJP does is name operations after Hindu Gods, referring to Operation Mahadev, named after Lord Shiva. 'I want to say that the name is not only associated with a Hindu God, it was also a war cry of Shivaji Maharaj, this is symbolic of India's response to the attack on India's sovereignty. What name did you want to give? This should not be looked at from the prism of Hindu or Muslim,' he said. Also read: Congress raises questions on security lapses which led to Pahalgam attack He added, 'Peace can only be brought by inducing fear in them (Pakistan), they are not going to mend their ways.' Had the attack happened during the tenure of the Congress, it would be sending dossiers and arranging dialogues with the neighbouring country, he said. Dismissing the allegations made by Congress leader Digvijaya Singh that the 26/11 Mumbai attack was carried out by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), Mr. Shah said, 'A Hindu can never be a terrorist. False cases were foisted on nationalist outfits; no case could stand in the court of law.'

BJP MP raises demand in Lok Sabha for Bharat Ratna to Dalai Lama
BJP MP raises demand in Lok Sabha for Bharat Ratna to Dalai Lama

The Hindu

time17 minutes ago

  • The Hindu

BJP MP raises demand in Lok Sabha for Bharat Ratna to Dalai Lama

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MP from Arunachal Pradesh Tapir Gao on Wednesday (July 30, 2025) asked the Central government to confer India's highest civilian honour, the Bharat Ratna, on the Dalai Lama – the spiritual head of Tibetan Buddhists. He raised the issue during Zero Hour in the Lok Sabha, where he described the Dalai Lama as a 'messenger of non violence and compassion.' 'India is the land of non-violence. His Holiness the Dalai Lama is a messenger of non-violence and compassion. The government of India should recognise his contributions by awarding him the Bharat Ratna,' Mr Gao said. He added that the Dalai Lama, who recently celebrated his 90th birthday on July 6 had made 'unparalleled contributions not just to Buddhism but also to humanity as a whole.' Symbol of peace 'Today, the Dalai Lama is not just a religious figure but also a symbol of peace across the world. His teachings have shaped generations and he deserves the Bharat Ratna,' the MP said. The Dalai Lama marked his 90th birthday with the declaration that the Gaden Phodrang Trust will decide his successor, a statement that drew an adverse reaction from the Chinese government. The Chinese government, in a statement, had said, 'The reincarnation of the Dalai Lama, the Panchen Lama and other great Buddhist figures must be chosen by drawing lots from a golden urn, and approved by the central government.' Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju had endorsed the Dalai Lama's position, but the Indian government had said that the 'Government of India does not take any position or speak on matters concerning beliefs and practices of faith and religion.' This is not the first time that the demand for a Bharat Ratna to the Dalai Lama has come up. Another BJP MP, Sujeet Kumar from Odisha, who is part of the All India Parliamentary Forum for Tibet, had told The Hindu that he was collecting support from parliamentarians across party lines to present the demand to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. By mid July they had collected 80 signatures in support of the move.

Who Are The Key Figures In The 2008 Malegaon Blast Case?
Who Are The Key Figures In The 2008 Malegaon Blast Case?

News18

time27 minutes ago

  • News18

Who Are The Key Figures In The 2008 Malegaon Blast Case?

The 2008 Malegaon blast verdict is expected Thursday, 16 years after the incident. Seven accused, including BJP MP Pragya Thakur, faced trial. The 2008 Malegaon blast case verdict is expected on Wednesday, nearly 16 years after a bomb went off near a mosque in the textile town of Malegaon in Maharashtra, killing six people and injuring over 100. The verdict will be delivered by a special National Investigation Agency (NIA) court in Mumbai, according to a report by PTI. Seven accused faced trial in the case, including former BJP MP Pragya Singh Thakur and Lt Col Prasad Purohit. The other five are Major (Retd) Ramesh Upadhyay, Ajay Rahirkar, Sudhakar Dwivedi, Sudhakar Chaturvedi and Sameer Kulkarni. All were charged under sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Indian Penal Code. The blast took place on September 29, 2008, when an explosive device strapped to a motorcycle detonated near a mosque in Malegaon during the holy month of Ramzan. The town, around 200 km from Mumbai, has a sizable Muslim population and has witnessed communal tensions in the past. Who Are the Accused? Lt Col Prasad Shrikant Purohit: An Army officer at the time of the blast, Purohit was accused of supplying explosives and playing a central role in planning the attack. He was arrested in 2008 and spent nearly nine years in jail before being granted bail in 2017. He claims he was working undercover and had kept his superiors informed. Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur: Former BJP MP from Bhopal, Thakur was accused of providing the motorcycle used in the blast. Initially arrested in 2008, she was granted bail on health grounds in 2017. The NIA later dropped charges under MCOCA against her but pursued others under the UAPA. Major (Retd) Ramesh Upadhyay: A former Army officer, Upadhyay was allegedly part of Abhinav Bharat, a right-wing group, investigators linked to the blast. He is accused of participating in planning meetings and helping execute the plot. Sudhakar Dwivedi (Dayanand Pandey): A self-styled religious leader, Dwivedi was accused of being an ideological guide for the conspiracy. Prosecutors claimed he provided intellectual backing and helped coordinate the group. Ajay Rahirkar: He was the treasurer of Abhinav Bharat. Rahirkar allegedly helped fund the activities of the group and was charged with financing the blast conspiracy. Sudhakar Chaturvedi: Allegedly close to Purohit, Chaturvedi was accused of helping store explosives and taking part in planning meetings. Sameer Kulkarni: Also linked to Abhinav Bharat, Kulkarni was accused of participating in meetings that led to the planning of the blast. He was granted bail in 2017. What Did The NIA Say The case was first investigated by the Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), before being handed over to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) in 2011. The trial formally began in 2018, and after the conclusion of arguments in April 2025, the court reserved its judgment. The NIA, in its final submission, said the accused conspired to carry out the explosion to create communal disharmony and destabilise internal security. It argued that the evidence presented in court was 'relevant, admissible, cogent, trustworthy, wholly reliable and proved," forming a clear chain of events leading to the blast. view comments Location : Mumbai, India, India First Published: July 30, 2025, 23:46 IST News india Who Are The Key Figures In The 2008 Malegaon Blast Case? Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store