Asha Chennai

Asha Chennai Asha for Education is a worldwide action group formed to catalyze socio-economic change in India Join us to make a lasting impact!

Asha for Education began in 1991 at UC Berkeley, founded by students eager to support educational initiatives in India. Today, Asha has grown to 60+ chapters worldwide, recognized globally when Dr. Sandeep Pandey received the Magsaysay Award in 2002. Asha Chennai, established in 2002, stands out by directly executing projects that support over 180 schools, 11 libraries, and 9 Rural Technology Cent

ers, while also offering scholarships to over 100 students. With a core group of dedicated volunteers, Asha Chennai raises funds from individuals and organizations, prioritizing quality education in government schools.

On June 19, 2026, Asha inaugurated its 14th Rural Technology Center (RTC) at Vannikonendal, Thirunelveli, its first RTC ...
26/06/2026

On June 19, 2026, Asha inaugurated its 14th Rural Technology Center (RTC) at Vannikonendal, Thirunelveli, its first RTC in the district. Asha’s RTCs provide free computer science education to government school students, offering courses ranging from Digital Literacy and Scratch Programming to advanced courses such as Web Development, Animation, and Media Editing. Robotics and Artificial Intelligence are the latest additions to the curriculum, helping students gain exposure to emerging technologies.

The new center will be taught by Ms. P. Nithya and Ms. S. Tamilselvi.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Asha volunteers Mr. Rajaraman, Mr. Bhaskar, Ms. Joystna, and Mr. Shiva, along with Asha’s Thoothukudi Project Coordinator, Mr. Murugan. Also present were the Panchayat President, the Headmasters of GHSS and PUPS Vannikonendal, RTC teachers, and members of the local community.

The event began during the prayer at GHSS Vannikonendal, where the importance of computer science education was highlighted. Students were encouraged to enroll in the RTC and make use of the wide range of learning opportunities available. Then the visitors and the teachers from the school came to the RTC for the inauguration with the traditional lighting of the kuthu vilakku and a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Asha volunteer Mr. Rajaraman and other dignitaries.

Student enrollments have already begun, marking an exciting start for the new center. In the evening about 70 students and 30 parents had assembled in the RTC to exchange word with Rajaram, Bhaskar and Shiva from Asha. Many of the students joining this RTC have already benefited from Asha's Computer Science education at their primary schools. There were also ACE students from GHSS Vannikonenthal.

We wish Ms. Nithya, Ms. Tamilselvi, and all the students at the Vannikonendal RTC a successful and enriching journey ahead.

Asha Impressions, part of Asha’s SPRINT program, was held on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Project Pearl . The SPRINT init...
26/06/2026

Asha Impressions, part of Asha’s SPRINT program, was held on Saturday, June 20, 2026, at Project Pearl . The SPRINT initiative focuses on teaching Computer Science to students from Grades 1 to 8, supporting over 180 primary and middle schools in Tamil Nadu and 15 schools in Uttar Pradesh.

As part of the curriculum, students are required to submit projects applying the skills they learned during the year. From these submissions, the best projects are selected by Asha’s lead teachers and staff to be showcased at the annual competition, Asha Impressions. This year at Pearl, 16 projects from 15 schools were chosen. These represented Thoothukudi, Thirunelveli and Then Kasi districts.

The competition was hosted at PUPS Nalatinputhur this year and was judged by Asha volunteers, Mr. Rajaraman, Mr. Bhaskar, Ms. Joystna and Mr. Shiva. Only projects by class 4/5 students in Digital Literacy were featured in this competition. Projects by 6th to 8th children in Scratch Programming and Physical Computer were featured in the main Asha Impressions held in IIT Madras. As children in 4th and 5th standard are too young to travel overnight to Chennai, we were having a separate Asha Impressions for them in their area.

The students presented on interesting topics like Moolligai sedi, Uruppu Mandalam, Animals and their young ones, Kottaikalum Aranmanaikalum etc. making the event interesting and fun.

Winners of Asha Impressions, Project Pearl, Thoothukudi are:
1st place - PUMS Kayathar south for One minute story
2nd place - PUPS Karadikulam colony for Avoid Plastic
3rd place - PUPS Koovachipatti for Parts of speech and PUPS Vadakku ilanthaikulam for Healthy and Unhealthy food

Asha Chennai runs 10 libraries across three districts in Tamil Nadu - Thiruvallur, Thoothukudi, and Thiruvanamalai. Thes...
23/06/2026

Asha Chennai runs 10 libraries across three districts in Tamil Nadu - Thiruvallur, Thoothukudi, and Thiruvanamalai. These libraries welcome children from government schools to spend time reading, doing craft, or completing homework. Asha teachers keep them open for 3 to 4 hours every evening.

The 4 libraries in our Thulasi project are funded by -Boston. While books can open minds and spark change, the real impact happens when teachers themselves discover the joy of reading. This led to the creation of the Asha Book Club, connecting librarians in Tamil Nadu with volunteers in Boston to read, discuss, and share stories across cultures.

From Malgudi Days to contemporary Tamil authors, these online sessions have grown into lively conversations where teachers think critically, share perspectives, and build a lasting love for reading.

The Book Club has helped teachers break out of their shell. Once hesitant, they are now active participants, confidently sharing opinions, debating ideas, and embracing reading as a joyful, collaborative experience. You may read the full article here- https://boston.ashanet.org/2026/05/18/a-one-of-a-kind-book-club/

Over 200 Asha teachers from different projects and regions took part in the Teacher Evaluation Exam held on June 13, 202...
22/06/2026

Over 200 Asha teachers from different projects and regions took part in the Teacher Evaluation Exam held on June 13, 2026. This annual exam helps assess teachers’ subject knowledge and identify areas where training is needed. The papers were set by Asha volunteer Mr. Rajaraman along with other volunteers and staff. In addition to assessing the knowledge of the teachers, the assessment also provides them examples of the kind of questions which they rarely encounter in their schools. We hope they use some of these while teaching the children as well.

Regular, KaradiPath, and KG teachers wrote the Maths-English-Science test, while Computer Teachers, CS trainers, and RTC teachers took the Computer Science test. The exam lasted three hours, from 10 am to 1 pm with generous grace time. The CS test included both written and practical sections.

Since teachers often felt the exams focus only on subject knowledge and not teaching skills, a new “Teaching Theory” section was added this year to both CS and MESL-GK papers. These questions focused on how to teach the topics effectively.

Naturally, the exams make teachers a bit nervous, but they approached them with full effort. On Saturday, teachers gathered at project offices and designated schools to take the tests. The papers are now being evaluated by Asha staff and volunteers, and the results will guide Asha in creating targeted teacher training programs.

Rightstart, Asha’s annual teacher training program, was held from 18–22 May 2026 at IIT Madras. Over 200 teachers, coord...
02/06/2026

Rightstart, Asha’s annual teacher training program, was held from 18–22 May 2026 at IIT Madras. Over 200 teachers, coordinators, staff, and volunteers from Asha participated, with teachers traveling from Thiruvallur, Thoothukudi, Thiruvarur, Thiruvanamalai, and Chennai for the five-day residential program. Teachers from several partner NGOs including Gandhiji School Pondicherry, Olcott Memorial School Chennai, Vizhthezhu Thozha trust from Chengalpet, CLE Trust from Anaimudi and Adi Federation from Coimbatore also participated in this training.

The sessions featured an inspiring lineup: Ms. Meena Suresh focused on Mathematics, guiding teachers on how open ended questions can be used in classrooms. Dr. Purva Bhatter from KrVidya brought creativity into Science by blending language-arts, computer science, and fairy tales. Dr. Hema Ramanathan led a thought-provoking session on the importance of questioning. Dr. V.R. Devika shared her expertise on storytelling and heritage. Mr. Arun V engaged teachers with observation-based learning on nature. Advocate Thilakavathi empowered teachers with non-violent communication and gender sensitivity, and the Karadi Path team conducted sessions on their innovative English learning program using songs, actions, and stories.

The final session was filled with music, dance, and celebration, with teachers participating enthusiastically. Asha staff completing 5 or 10 years of service were honored with Loyalty Awards. We hope these sessions will help shape our teachers into stronger, creative, and more compassionate educators, paving the way for joyful and engaging classrooms for our children.

24/04/2026

On 18 April 2026, Asha Impressions was hosted at the Amazon office in the World Trade Centre, Chennai. Students from as far away as Thoothukudi and Thiruvarur traveled overnight to Chennai to take part in this event. Others from Thiruvannamalai, Villupuram and Thiruvallur started from their homes at 3:00 am and 5:00 am!

Asha Chennai currently supports over 500 schools, reaching more than 50,000 children through diverse educational programs. One of our flagship initiatives, the SPRINT program, supports 190+ schools, including 15 in Uttar Pradesh, benefiting 15,000 children. This program focuses on primary and middle school education, deploying 160+ teachers across 170 government schools in Tamil Nadu to deliver computer education for Classes 1 to 8.

At the end of each academic year, students submit projects showcasing their learning. This year, from 1,300+ projects submitted by SPRINT schools, 34 projects were selected to be presented before judges at Amazon. The event was planned over two weeks in collaboration with Amazon.

Students competed in three categories:
•Digital Literacy
•Scratch Programming
•Physical Computing

Their presentations featuring props, skits, dance, music, hand built models, and remarkable confidence impressed the judges, who praised the children’s technical skills, creativity, and attention to detail.

Winners of the competition are-
Digital Literacy
1st Place - PUMS Irulneeki - Math zone
2nd place- PUPS Kolathur - Moral Story (Thirukkural)
3rd place- PUPS Boochiathipet - Social Media
4th place- PUMS Melacherry - Seasons

Scratch Programming
1st Place - PUMS Karadikulam - Physics behind games
2nd place- PUMS Manjakuppam - Science Experiments
3rd place- Olcott School -Quiz Race and PUMS K. Venkateshwarapuram -Solubility

Physical Computing
1st Place - PUMS Ramanjeri - Smart School
2nd place- PUMS Othapai - How the crow turned black story

25/03/2026

Certificate distribution ceremonies were held across all 13 of Asha’s RTCs in Thiruvallur, Thoothukudi, Thiruvanamalai, and Thiruvarur. A total of 870 students proudly received their certificates of completion during these events. Beyond the formal recognition, the ceremonies also provided students with an opportunity to showcase their projects to volunteers, guests, teachers, and peers turning the occasion into a celebration of learning, creativity, and achievement.

24/03/2026

At the end of each course at our RTCs, the students take an assessment as well as submit a project. The students across our 13 RTCs participated in course assessments during the week leading up to the RTC Impressions on the 21st of Feb. Out of 887 students, an impressive 870 successfully cleared the exams. These students were honored with Course Completion Certificates at ceremonies held in Kanakammachatiram, Periyapalayam, and Thirupatchur on the 28th of February 2026.

At the Irshad Marriage Hall, Kanakammachatiram, certificates were distributed to students by Mr. Rajaraman Krishnan, Asha Volunteer and Coordinator, along with Mr. Shiva and Mr. Anantha. Selected students also had the opportunity to present their projects to guests and peers.

Across all RTCs, Asha received over 500 projects, of which 56 were shortlisted for participation at the RTC Impressions. While this selection process ensures quality, it also limits opportunities for many students to showcase their innovative ideas to a wider audience.

These certificate distribution ceremonies serve not only to recognize students’ achievements but also to provide a platform for creativity and collaboration. With no pressure of competition, students participate enthusiastically, enjoy lunch together, and proudly collect their certificates at the close of the event.

The event was featured in local TV and print media.

On 28 February 2026, 120 students from Asha’s Chennai, Project Poornavidhya set out on an exciting excursion. Their firs...
20/03/2026

On 28 February 2026, 120 students from Asha’s Chennai, Project Poornavidhya set out on an exciting excursion. Their first destination was the Birla Planetarium at Kotturpuram, Chennai. Located within the Periyar Science and Technology Centre campus, this is the fifth B. M. Birla Planetarium in India. The students were captivated by the 3D show and the Sky Theater, which offered a virtual tour of the night sky and planets projected onto a specially perforated hemispherical aluminium dome. They also enjoyed exploring the various museum exhibits and playing in the science park.

Asha coordinators accompanied the students throughout the trip and provided them with lunch. After the Planetarium visit, the group headed to Guindy Park, where they explored the Snake Park and spent time playing at the nearby Children’s Park, rounding off a day filled with learning, fun, and discovery.

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First Floor, 85/2, Luz Avenue, Bhaskarapuram, Mylapore
Chennai
600004

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Monday 10am - 4pm
Tuesday 10am - 4pm
Wednesday 10am - 4pm
Thursday 10am - 4pm
Friday 10am - 4pm
Saturday 9am - 4pm

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