Draft:Rajeev Poddar
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Rajeev Poddar is an Indian teacher and education entrepreneur from Kolkata, West Bengal, known for teaching economics, accountancy and current affairs to students free of cost for over three decades, and for founding the storytelling-led education programme Knowledge Capsules.[1]
Early life
[edit]Poddar lost the use of his legs to paralysis at the age of nine and subsequently had to leave school. Unable to attend classes, he educated himself largely by reading, including textbooks borrowed from friends.[2][1]
Teaching career
[edit]Poddar began teaching at the age of about 23, when neighbourhood children in Kolkata asked him to tutor them in mathematics; he brought humour into the lessons and his classes grew in popularity.[2] Over time his batches grew from around ten students to about a hundred. He did not charge his students, supporting himself through stock trading, and taught economics, accountancy and current affairs for more than three decades.[2][1] He later founded Knowledge Capsules to help students follow current affairs, and during the COVID-19 pandemic began publishing short awareness videos online on topics such as economics and current events.[2][1]
His story and Knowledge Capsules have been featured by NDTV, The Better India, India Times, Moneycontrol, the Hindi daily Sanmarg and the digital storytelling platform Humans of Bombay.[2][1][3][4][5][6]
He has spoken at a TEDx event, giving a talk titled "Nazariya: A Tale of 42 years of being quarantined" at TEDxIMTHyderabad.[7]
Knowledge Capsules
[edit]Knowledge Capsules is an education programme and trust based in Kolkata that delivers a weekly, story-led general-knowledge and current-affairs class to school children. In 2023 the programme was expanded and formalised by Poddar's nephew, Aditya Poddar.[8]
According to the organisation, the programme reaches tens of thousands of children each week across schools in several Indian cities and runs a free weekly online quiz, the "Sunday Mega Quiz". It also delivers classes free of charge in government schools in West Bengal under permission from the state Department of Education, funded by corporate social responsibility partners.[9]
Recognition
[edit]Poddar and Knowledge Capsules have received coverage in Indian media for the free-education model and for Poddar's personal story.[2][1][4][5] In 2026, Knowledge Capsules received a Bronze award in the "Exemplary Independent Education Non-Profit" category at The Economic Times Education Excellence Awards.[10]
References
[edit]- 1 2 3 4 5 6 "This #Coronawarrior Teacher's Videos Are the Dose of Current Affairs You Need". The Better India. Retrieved 16 September 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 Jain, Sanya (19 June 2020). "If Staying In Is Getting To You, Learn From This Man - Quarantined For 40 Years". NDTV. Retrieved 16 September 2026.
- ↑ "'लर्न विद फन' की राह पर 'नॉलेज कैप्सुल'" ['Knowledge Capsules' on the path of 'Learn with Fun']. Sanmarg (in Hindi). Kolkata.
- 1 2 "Three Months Of Lockdown Has Been Hard On You? For This Man It Has Been His Life For 40 Years". India Times. Retrieved 16 September 2026.
- 1 2 "Imagine being in quarantine for 40 years: Kolkata-based teacher's story of inspiration amid COVID-19". Moneycontrol. Retrieved 16 September 2026.
- ↑ "Rajeev Poddar has helped thousands of students with his free classes; Humans of Bombay shares his story". NewsBust. Retrieved 16 September 2026.
- ↑ "Nazariya: A Tale of 42 years of being quarantined | Rajeev Poddar | TEDxIMTHyderabad". YouTube. TEDx Talks. Retrieved 16 September 2026.
- ↑ "About". Knowledge Capsules. Retrieved 16 September 2026.
- ↑ "Government schools programme". Knowledge Capsules. Retrieved 16 September 2026.
- ↑ "Education Excellence Awards 2026 – Winners List". The Economic Times. Retrieved 16 September 2026.
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