A UNIQUE WORKSHOP!
Let enthusiastic Yuva ISHANI KULKARNI from USA tell you what she did at Srivali High School to excite and inspire students (January 2026)
How did this idea of a workshop for Srivali children come about?
I have been participating in a programme called VEX Robotics for about two years now, and I will be going into my third. Since joining, robotics has become one of my favorite hobbies and I’m always looking forward to meeting with my team to build, code, and test! It’s an opportunity that I am so grateful for!
As I thought about how privileged I have been to have got a glimpse of such an amazing career, I started thinking about children who do not have the opportunity or the resources to be able to experience or learn about this. I knew that there was a very nice school in Shirali, founded by our very own Swamiji, and I thought about how nice it would be for the students there to gain this knowledge and some hands-on experience.
Therefore, I thought it would be a great idea to plan out a workshop for the children to talk to them about robotics and share my learnings from my own experience.
How many children and how long was the session...
There were 120 students there. I had two sessions, one to teach the theory and one practical for them to experiment, each an hour long.
Did you handle it alone, or with help...
I planned out this workshop with the help of my parents who guided me along the way. At Srivali High School, I conducted this workshop on my own with the assistance of Shailesh Bellare, the school director, Ravindra Kaikini, and the high school’s headmistress, Mamata Bhatkal.
How did you communicate... language and equipment if any...
I was able to communicate with the students at Srivali High School with help from the English teacher of the ninth-grade class there. The English teacher was able to translate my speech for the students to follow along with my instructions.
How was the response ?
Would you like to do this again ?
I was so happy to see the outcome of my workshop! After conducting my theory session, I asked the students how many of them were interested in what robotics has to offer. I immediately saw hands flying into the air; over half the students in the room had their hands raised! While I was conducting my practical session, I could also hear the bubbly conversation among the children there, as they excitedly watched me demonstrate the coding behind a simple animation. It truly made me so happy to see just how fascinated and thrilled the students were to learn about my journey!
I would definitely like to do this again, and possibly provide a more in-depth lesson continuing the topic of robotics and its engineering process!
Tell me about Pujya Swamiji’s reaction and interaction with you...
Also, about your connection with our Math and Pujya Swamiji from early childhood..
I was taking Prarthana classes at a young age, and eventually moved into Prerana classes which I am taking now. On most of our trips to India, my parents have taken me to meet Swamiji and receive His blessings, too. When I went to meet Pujya Swamiji, He was very happy to hear about my plan on conducting a robotics workshop for the students in Shirali. He gave me many tips and provided me with a lot of support and people to guide me. Swamiji encouraged me to pursue similar volunteer work in other schools within the area, as well, which I was very excited about.
Anything else which you wish to add?
I am very happy that I was able to do this for my community. I enjoyed being able to connect back with my roots by performing seva. I was glad that the workshop worked out well, and I am proud to say that I was honoured to have been given this opportunity.