NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission partners with Adobe

NITI Aayog’s Atal Innovation Mission and Adobe today signed a Statement of Intent (SOI) to collectively drive the charter of developing creative skills and spreading digital literacy across all Atal Tinkering Labs in India with the support of Adobe’s resources and expertise.

The SoI was signed in the presence of Mr Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog, by Mr Ramanathan Ramanan, Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission, Mr Bryan Lamkin, EVP & GM, Digital Media, Adobe and Mr Kulmeet Bawa, Managing Director, Kulmeet Bawa South Asia.

Adobe shall also implement its Digital Disha Programme across 100 schools under Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) initiative. Children and teachers across these schools and communities shall benefit from creative learning resources via free access to Adobe Spark premium– thereby empowering them with new age skills to thrive in the current digital era and preparing them for long term success.

Amitabh Kant, CEO, NITI Aayog said, “Fostering digital skill sets is an essential building block for shaping the future of a new, technologically empowered India. The collaboration with Adobe as a part of the Atal Innovation Mission seeks to kindle the spirit of creativity amongst young minds and couple it with innovative thinking to build and enable the next generation of visionaries in India with the competence and mindset to build sustainable solutions for a modern India in the future.”

Ramanathan Ramanan, MD, Atal Innovation Mission said, “Atal Tinkering Labs is one of the flagship initiatives undertaken by NITI Aayog under the Atal Innovation Mission with a vision of inculcating the values of innovation, technology and entrepreneurship amongst India’s youngsters. Development of creative skills and fostering digital literacy amongst young students is critical for germination of ideas.  Adobe’s support and vision is in sync to AIM’s vision of developing one million neoteric child innovators by 2020.”

Bryan Lamkin, EVP & GM, Digital Media, Adobe said, “As India charts the next stage of its growth in the technology era, digital is key to unlocking a new world full of opportunities.  We are committed to advancing the creative acumen of India’s young students through Adobe Spark and Adobe Digital Disha.”

“We are proud to support AIM, NITI Aayog’s Tinkering Labs in their use of creative tools in Indian classrooms. We believe this will enable the students to express their innovations effectively and help them shape the future of India,” added Kulmeet Bawa, MD, Adobe South Asia.

AIM is the Government of India’s flagship initiative to promote a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship in the country. As a part of AIM, more than 5,000 schools in India are selected for establishment of ATL where students of class 6^thto class 12^thlearn innovation skills and develop ideas with support from teachers.

Adobe is committed to enhance creativity of young minds in India via their Adobe Digital Disha program and shall extend their support to conduct capacity building sessions regionally for teachers and students alike.  Adobe Education Exchange, a platform repository for teachers will be linked to ATL for collaboration. The Adobe Digital Disha Program is aimed at driving synergies in creative thinking and technology-based learning, which is set to be crucial towards helping India’s young minds stand apart in the future workforce. The initiative is expected to touch the lives of 1 million Indians by the year 2020.