For more than a decade, government-school teacher Kouluri Rajesh has used digital tools, AI and activity-based learning to make quality education more accessible to rural children.
In Andhra Pradesh’s Vizianagaram district, a government-school teacher has been exploring a simple question: what if a child’s access to learning did not end when the school day was over?
For Kouluri Rajesh, technology is not about replacing teachers. It is about extending what they can do, particularly for children who may not have access to expensive coaching or additional learning support.
Over more than a decade, Rajesh has created digital lessons, educational videos, games, assessments and AI-enabled learning tools designed to help children learn at their own pace.
His work has now reached thousands of students and schools, while his digital pedagogy initiatives have also helped teachers adopt technology in their own classrooms.
In recognition of his contribution to education, Rajesh was among the 48 school teachers selected for the National Teachers’ Awards 2026, presented by President Droupadi Murmu on September 5, 2026.
Turning A Smartphone Into A Learning Tool
Rajesh’s technology-driven approach began long before artificial intelligence became a part of everyday educational conversations.
Through RajClassroom, an educational platform he developed, he created curriculum-linked resources designed particularly for primary-school learners and rural classrooms.
The platform includes 80 lessons, 50 educational videos and 20 games, covering subjects such as Telugu, English and Mathematics.
The resources are designed to make lessons more interactive and accessible, particularly in classrooms where children may have different learning levels.
Rather than treating digital content as a replacement for classroom teaching, Rajesh uses it as an additional layer of support, allowing students to revisit concepts, practise skills and learn beyond the traditional school timetable.
The platform has also grown far beyond his own classroom, reaching teachers and students through freely accessible digital resources.
From Digital Lessons To AI-Powered Learning
Rajesh’s work has since expanded into AI-enabled education.
His Hello Dhriti learning application was developed to support young learners through interactive and personalised digital lessons. The programme is aligned with the goals of the National Education Policy 2020 and NIPUN Bharat, particularly around foundational literacy and numeracy.
The application uses features including voice recognition, interactive activities, gamification and sequential lessons.
The idea is straightforward: instead of expecting every child to move through a lesson at exactly the same pace, technology can provide additional opportunities for children who need more time and practice.
Recent reports have said the platform has reached more than 15,700 students across 2,574 schools, although earlier reports cited slightly lower figures as the programme expanded.
That reach illustrates how an initiative that began with one teacher’s digital experiments has gradually moved beyond a single school.
Making Competitive Learning More Accessible
For rural students, the challenge is often not simply understanding the school curriculum. Access to preparation for competitive entrance examinations can also be unequal.
Rajesh has attempted to address that gap through digital assessments and learning resources.
His competency-based assessment system contains more than 6,000 questions, providing students with opportunities to practise concepts linked to their textbooks and prepare for examinations such as those for Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas and Model Schools.
More than 22,000 students have reportedly used his competency-based assessment resources.
His work also includes WhatsApp-based learning and quiz initiatives, allowing students to access educational support through a device that many families already use.
The approach reduces dependence on costly coaching and puts additional learning material within easier reach of children in rural communities.
When Technology Supports The Teacher
Rajesh’s contribution extends beyond students.
His educational resources and digital-pedagogy programmes have been used by teachers across India. Recent reporting says RajClassroom has reached more than 2.5 million teachers, while his digital pedagogy programmes have trained more than two lakh teachers.
He has also contributed to educational content and teacher-training initiatives associated with institutions including NCERT and the Central Institute of Educational Technology (CIET).
His work has included sessions on game-based learning and creating interactive digital lessons, helping other educators explore technology as a classroom tool.
This teacher-to-teacher dimension is important because it shifts the focus from technology as a product to technology as a method that can be shared.
A Government-School Teacher Who Became A Digital Educator
Rajesh’s own journey is rooted in government education.
He studied through government institutions and entered teaching through DSC 2008, joining government service in 2010.
Over the years, his experience in rural classrooms shaped his understanding of the barriers faced by students who may be first-generation learners or have limited access to educational resources outside school.
His response was not to wait for expensive infrastructure or specialised systems, but to experiment with tools that could be created and shared more widely.
That philosophy has also led him to contribute to educational books and digital content. Reports say he has authored four books, contributed to 14 SCERT books and created more than 100 PM e-VIDYA content videos.
From A Rural Classroom To National Recognition
Rajesh’s work has received recognition over several years, including recognition associated with the British Council, district-level teacher awards and national digital-education initiatives.
He was also a National ICT Award 2020 finalist.
In 2026, that journey reached a national milestone when he was selected for the National Teachers’ Award, one of 48 school teachers honoured across India.
The official award list identifies him as a teacher from MPPS Chinamallupeta in Andhra Pradesh.
The recognition highlights a broader shift in how teaching innovation can emerge from government schools, including schools serving communities where resources can be limited.
When One Classroom Can Reach Thousands
The most significant part of Rajesh’s story may not be any single app, website or digital lesson.
It is the idea that a teacher can use technology to multiply the reach of everyday teaching.
A lesson created once can be revisited by another child. A game can make a difficult concept less intimidating. An assessment can show where a student needs help. A WhatsApp quiz can put practice material into the hands of a child who cannot afford coaching.
And when those resources are shared with other teachers, the impact can move beyond the students sitting in one classroom.
Rajesh’s journey shows how innovation does not always have to begin with a sophisticated laboratory or a large institution. Sometimes, it can begin with a teacher looking at the limitations around him and asking how technology can help overcome them.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
Kouluri Rajesh’s story shows that technology in education is most meaningful when it expands access rather than replaces human teaching.
For rural children, a smartphone can become more than a device for entertainment. With the right resources, it can become a library, practice room, learning companion and bridge to opportunities that might otherwise remain out of reach.
But the larger lesson lies with the teacher behind the technology. Rajesh’s work demonstrates how educators can use digital tools to meet students where they are, allow them to learn at different speeds and share resources beyond the boundaries of one classroom.
How can technology be used not to replace teachers, but to help every teacher reach more children with better learning opportunities?
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