Priya Khanna

Indian edtech pioneer bridging rural-urban education gaps through low-cost platforms

Priya Khanna's Shiksha Connect platform has revolutionized education access in India's rural regions since its 2021 launch. Her team developed offline-compatible learning apps that work on basic smartphones, delivering customized curricula aligned with state boards but tailored to local languages and cultural contexts. By 2024, the platform served over 2 million students in 18 states through partnerships with NGOs like Pratham. Khanna's breakthrough was creating a decentralized teacher network where certified educators from urban areas mentor rural teachers via video calls, improving pedagogy quality in underserved areas.

Innovative features include StoryWeaver - an AI-powered tool generating multilingual storybooks based on student reading levels - and MathMitra, gamified math exercises using local currency denominations and agricultural examples. A 2023 study by NUEPA showed 40% improvement in exam scores for participating schools. Khanna's 2022 TED Talk Education Beyond Barriers inspired similar models in Nepal and Bangladesh. Her recent partnership with Samsung India provides refurbished devices to girls in marginalized communities, addressing digital divide issues. Named one of Forbes India's 30 Under 30 in 2024, her vision emphasizes "education equity through empathetic technology" - principles now shaping India's Digital Education Policy 2025.