Kupwara (Jammu and Kashmir) [India]: In a significant move to bridge the digital divide in remote Jammu and Kashmir, the Indian Army has established the Shakti Vijay Computer Lab in Tangdhar village, located in the Kupwara district. This initiative is offering free computer education to underprivileged students who previously had no access to local digital learning facilities.
For years, students from Tangdhar and surrounding areas had to travel long distances to Kupwara town or even to Srinagar—often incurring costs of Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000—just to gain basic computer literacy.
Key Highlights:
- The Shakti Vijay Computer Lab provides free training in two structured levels:
- Basic Computer Course (3 months): Typing, MS Office, and internet basics.
- Advanced Computer Course (6 months): Programming fundamentals, data handling, and an introduction to AI tools.
- A student enrolled in the advanced course shared: “Earlier, we had to travel to Srinagar and pay hefty fees. Now we are getting this training here in Tangdhar free of cost, thanks to the Indian Army.”
- The initiative is drawing students not just from Tangdhar but also from nearby villages, enabling local access to skill-building and future job prospects.
- The effort is part of the Indian Army’s broader civic outreach and education development initiatives under Operation Sadbhavna.
Impact:
This grassroots initiative has:
- Removed financial and logistical hurdles to digital learning.
- Empowered youth with employable skills in a tech-driven world.
- Fostered positive civil-military relations in a remote, strategically important region.