NetApp & Agastya launch rural data & AI lab in India

NetApp has opened a dedicated data and AI education lab at the Agastya International Foundation campus in Kuppam, Andhra Pradesh, as part of a partnership aimed at expanding data literacy among school students in India.

The NetApp Data Explorers Lab sits within Agastya's flagship rural campus. The facility focuses on inquiry-led and project-based learning in data science for children from government schools.

The inauguration brought together senior figures from education, space science and the non-profit sector. Attendees included Himanshu Gupta, Secretary at the Central Board of Secondary Education; A.S. Kiran Kumar, former Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation; and Agastya leadership including Founder Ramji Raghavan, Executive Vice Chairman K Thiagarajan and Executive Director - Partner Relations Hariharan Ganesan.

NetApp was represented by Vasanthi Ramesh, Vice President - Engineering and India Site Lead, along with Senior Legal Counsel for India and South Asia and CSR Committee Member Anirudh Atyanand, and members of the company's social impact team.

Hands-on data lab

The new lab is an experiential learning space that introduces school-age learners to core concepts in data. It aims to build skills in data literacy, structured inquiry and real-world problem-solving.

The facility consists of two classrooms. Each classroom has 15 computers intended for data-focused lessons and group work.

Students follow a data science curriculum that NetApp and Agastya developed in collaboration with education organisations TERC and The Tech Interactive. The course introduces basic data handling techniques and links them with local issues and student projects.

Teaching in the lab uses CODAP, the Common Online Data Analysis Platform. Concord Consortium developed CODAP as an online tool that allows students to explore datasets, carry out visual analysis and derive insights through guided investigation.

Reaching government schools

Agastya plans to use the facility for students from government schools in and around Kuppam. The partners expect more than 1,200 students to go through structured data literacy modules in the 2025-26 academic year.

The projected combined learning time across the cohort exceeds 30,000 hours. Sessions will run on a project-based model that asks students to collect, organise, visualise and analyse their own datasets.

Projects link with community themes, including agriculture, water quality and waste management. The topics align with selected United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and are intended to give students practical contexts for data use.

Data and problem-solving

The programme designers link data work with creativity and social awareness. Students participate in Agastya's DataVerse showcase, where they present and discuss their data-led projects.

During these events learners share how they used data analysis and how they see its relevance in daily life. Exhibits often draw on personal experiences and local concerns. The organisers say that this gives students a chance to treat data as part of problem-solving rather than as a purely technical subject.

Ramesh said the initiative reflects a wider shift in expectations around data skills for young people.

"Data literacy is foundational for both citizenship and careers. Today's inauguration of the NetApp Data Explorers Lab reaffirms our belief that data, when placed in young hands, becomes a powerful tool for inquiry, innovation, and positive change. This mirrors NetApp's wider view that intelligent data should serve people, making experiences richer, more connected, and ultimately more meaningful," said Vasanthi Ramesh, VP - Engineering and India Site Lead, NetApp.

Partnership model

Agastya International Foundation runs a large STEM-focused outreach network for children from underserved communities. The organisation uses mobile science labs, permanent science centres, innovation hubs, digital literacy centres and teacher training initiatives to reach schools across India.

Since its founding in 1999, Agastya reports that it has worked with more than 35 million students. It has also run programmes for about 350,000 school teachers across the country.

Its model focuses on hands-on sessions and inquiry-based learning. Students are encouraged to test ideas, handle materials and equipment, and connect classroom topics with real-world settings.

NetApp positions itself as a specialist in data infrastructure and data management software for large organisations. The company is now extending that expertise into education-focused initiatives under its social impact agenda.

Raghavan said the collaboration blends the strengths of both organisations.

"Our partnership with NetApp brings together creativity, technology, and mentorship. The Data Explorers Lab will inspire thousands of children to think critically, explore responsibly, and use data to improve the world around them. We hope this partnership allows more ideas to spread, reaching learners and teachers beyond our boundary enabling them to engage more meaningfully," said Raghavan.

The partners state that the NetApp-Agastya programme aims to support a pipeline of data-literate youth in India. They plan to connect the lab's activities with a broader STEM education ecosystem and future innovation-focused roles.