Science education evangelist and Ashoka Fellow Lewitt Somarajan is the Pune-based founder and CEO of Life-Lab (estb.2013), an initiative of the Keonjhar (Odisha)-based non-profit WOSCA (Women’s Organisation for Socio-Cultural Awareness), promoted by Dharitri Raut. Life-Lab provides underprivileged schools activity-based, low-cost innovations to develop scientific curiosity and critical reasoning skills in young children.
Through its flagship two-year programme which includes installing a low-cost science lab, providing DIY (do-it yourself) kits for students, conducting training programmes for science teachers and establishing science clubs, Life-Lab creates high quality learning environments to drive progress in schools. Since 2013, Life-Lab has been commissioned by 24 corporates to deliver their CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiatives in 500-plus government and government-aided schools impacting 200,000 children in 11 states countrywide.
Newspeg. Last November, Life-Lab launched India’s first-of-its-type 100-page science graphic novel (with 15 DIY activities), using comic book characters Gappu and Bobo to explain scientific concepts. This graphic novel project, initiated in 2016, was funded by the Eaton India Foundation, Pune, and the Tata Acumen Trust.
History. As a final year chemical engineering student of Nagpur University, Somarajan was among 400 youth selected in 2008 to undertake the Tata Jagriti Yatra, an 18-day nationwide train expedition during which he met several social entrepreneurs doing excellent work in rural India. Bitten by the entrepreneurial bug, after graduating in 2009, Somarajan interned with social development organisations followed by a two-year Teach for India Fellowship. With some financial support from Unltd India, a social incubator, Somarajan started pilot projects in 2012. In 2013, Life-Lab was born months after winning the Hewlett Packard Educational Innovation Fund for India Award (Rs.15 lakh).
Direct talk. “I have always believed that science connects with everyday life and should be used for life learning experiences in classrooms. Life-lab was conceived with the objective of developing a scientific mindset and making real learning in low-income classrooms a reality,” says this innovative social entrepreneur.
Future plans. Life-Lab has ambitious outreach plans. “Over the next five years, we intend to impact 1 million children by providing consultancy services to state governments to enhance the quality of science education in government schools, especially in rural India. Our goal is to reach 1,000 schools by next year by collaborating with state governments, social organisations and entrepreneurs. Moreover, we are currently focusing on a musical animation video project to make science lessons more engaging,” says Somarajan.
Wind in your sails!
Paromita Sengupta (Bangalore)