Virudhunagar Woman Puts Tier-3 India on the Tech Map, Teaching Kids to Build Robots and Code

In the quiet town of Virudhunagar in Tamil Nadu, far from the bustle of big cities, a mother’s simple search for after-school classes for her son sparked a movement that would transform the lives of hundreds of children.

Meet Sasi Dharani, founder of eduSeed - Coding & Math, an initiative that has brought Coding, Robotics, and STEM education to over 1,700 students, trained an all-women team from small towns, and is reshaping the way tier-3 India looks at learning and opportunity.

Sasi Dharani started eduSeed in Virudhunagar after she couldn’t find a robotics class for her son (Photos: Special Arrangement)

A few years ago, when her son entered second grade, Sasi was exploring options to help him learn new skills. “It was at that time that I looked at a video of a little girl building a robot in a WhatsApp group. I found it interesting and wanted my son to learn the same,” she recalls.

But her search for Robotics classes around Virudhunagar led nowhere.


“I started googling for Robotics classes in and around our town. But I was unable to find any. It made me think if there were limited opportunities in tier-3 places. Then, it struck, ‘Why don’t I start one?’ There was a need and I wanted to fill that space.”

That was the spark that led to eduSeed.

“I visited places, met people in the field, got inputs and did a lot of self-study,” she says. “I started eduSeed as a way to bring something valuable to children here; something I wished was available for my own child.”

From a single class with one student, eduSeed has grown into a thriving online platform that has taught STEM skills to 700 students through live classes and reached another 1,000 through school workshops, clocking over 50,000 hours of teaching. More than 20 women from small towns have been trained and brought into the workforce through the initiative.

eduSeed’s journey proves that even from a tier-3 town, big dreams in tech education can be made real

“Our students, many of whom are from small towns and humble backgrounds, have gone on to win global coding challenges and build incredible projects. But what makes me most proud is our team. We are an all-women team, and every one of us comes from a tier-3 town,” says Sasi.

The journey hasn’t been easy, but the passion of the team keeps them going.

“We have trained ourselves, upskilled, and now teach and mentor the next generation, while also building fulfilling careers close to home. We work and teach with unlimited passion, overriding the limited exposure and opportunities in small towns.”

Recently, eduSeed launched an AI course designed for school students, helping them gain future-ready skills. “With our online classes, we have proved that geography is no barrier to learning new skills,” she says.

Sasi’s drive to create change is deeply rooted in her family values. She comes from a family of spice traders and draws inspiration from her grandfather.

“At the age of 55, when everyone thinks of retirement, my grandfather wanted to start exporting to various countries. He had to relocate 2,000 km away to North India. New city, new language, new people, but he adapted and stayed focused. His perseverance led him to bag India’s topmost exporter of coriander award from the Spices Board for more than ten years.”

Having been passionate about academics from a young age, Sasi says, “Education has become my passion. Through eduSeed, I strive to make quality STEM education accessible to children in all regions. What started as a small initiative for my son has now grown into a mission, helping children think critically and build creatively through coding, math, and robotics.”

Children learning coding and robotics at eduSeed

Her belief is simple yet powerful: “Just like my grandfather pursued his dream against all odds, I believe every child, regardless of where they come from, deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and succeed.”

She proudly adds, “We have had students from small towns present their tech creations, code their own games, build websites, all from their homes. I believe that with the right support and visibility, stories like ours can spark confidence in many more educators, parents, and changemakers across small towns.”

Sasi Dharani’s story is a testament to how one person’s determination to solve a personal problem can blossom into a solution for hundreds and how a small town can become the seedbed for global impact.- TWL Desk