Priya Rao

A visionary Indian tech entrepreneur revolutionizing rural education through AI-driven platforms

Priya Rao is a groundbreaking innovator from rural Karnataka whose work has transformed educational access for over 500,000 children across India. In 2021, she launched EduConnect, an AI-powered learning platform specifically designed for low-resource environments. Her system uses solar-powered tablets preloaded with localized curricula and interactive lessons tailored to regional dialects.

Rao's breakthrough came when she developed a machine learning algorithm that adapts content difficulty levels based on student performance data collected through simple quizzes. This system has been adopted by 12 state governments and reduced dropout rates by 40% in pilot regions according to a 2023 UNICEF report. Her 2022 TEDx talk Rethinking Education Equity has garnered over 2 million views.

Born to a farming family with no internet access until age 16, Rao's personal journey inspired her mission. She pioneered a 'Digital Ambassadors' program training teen girls as tech educators, creating 8,000+ community roles. Her 2024 partnership with Microsoft Azure expanded cloud-based storage solutions for rural schools, enabling access to over 50,000 e-books.

Rao's innovations were recognized with the 2023 Rolex Awards for Enterprise and a 2025 MacArthur Genius Grant. She currently advises UNESCO's Global Education Initiative and is developing a low-cost satellite internet constellation to connect 100,000+ remote schools by 2026.