The Cost of Lost Potential: India’s Talent Drain Begins Early

Every year, brilliant minds in India are left behind- not for lack of talent, but for lack of access.

Many students grow up in homes and schools without the basic tools needed to succeed in a digital world.

A 2019 NSO report found that fewer than 25% of the urban poor in India own a computer. With the children we work with, it’s often even less.

The Deepak Literacy Fund was created to bridge that gap—not with large-scale infrastructure, but with practical tools, consistency, and the belief that access should never depend on your pin code.

Over the past few months, we’ve worked with more than 150 students through digital literacy workshops, both online and in person. Each session begins with the basics—typing practice, MS Word formatting, simple Excel formulas. By the end, students are creating stories, charts, and trackers on their own.

In our most recent session at Bal Shiksha Kendra, students used Excel to plot their academic progress, design cricket scorecards, and plan out classroom assessments. In Word, they wrote about their families and interests, learning how to express themselves with structure and confidence. For many, it was their first real experience using a computer.

The goal is to give students the skills and belief that they can thrive in a digital world.

Because the barrier has never been ability. It’s been access.

And we’re here to turn the 25% into a 100%.

#thedeepakfund #technologicalliteracy #accessnotability