Technology has taken over our lives and education is no exception to it since technological advancements have a great effect on how learning is imparted and consumed. The e-learning market in India is expected to reach US$ 12.5 billion exhibiting a growth rate (CAGR) of 13.9 percent during 2022-2027, according to the IMARC Group.
There is a famous quote by Benjamin Franklin that says, ”Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn.” This is truly reflected in the work of Swarna Subramanian through LEARNINGSAGA TECHNOLOGIES. Swarna has a Post Graduate Diploma in Computer Applications and believes that learning never stops and that bridging gaps in learning and updating skills at each turn are more important now than ever before.
In an in-depth conversation with Women Entrepreneur magazine, Swarna shares with us her professional journey and the various lessons she has gathered on the way. Here is an excerpt from the interview.
What motivated you to establish Learning Saga Technologies? What are the responsibilities that you shoulder as the Founder of the organization?
Having worked in the corporate world, I have been quite observant of the growth in the industry and the number of engineering graduates each year. The other factor is that while building high-performance teams, I have observed a skills and capabilities gap, among team members who need to be productive from day one. So, I decided that instead of complaining about it, I should become part of the solution and build high-caliber professionals to meet industry expectations. These were the prime motives behind setting up LEARNINGSAGA TECHNOLOGIES. LEARNINGSAGA TECHNOLOGIES aims to be a turning point in the lives of students and professionals by facilitating well-rounded education. We strive to bring the best learning and training resources by identifying gaps in learning.
As an Entrepreneur and Founder of a start-up, one is responsible for everything. So, my duties encompass everything big and small.
"Learningsaga technologies provides technology-enabled individual learning experiences that go beyond curricula to include real-world working knowledge & skills"
What are some of the challenges you encounter in your current role and how do you overcome these roadblocks? What is your success mantra?
Entrepreneurship is quite complex, it’s like walking on a tightrope, especially with all the competitive players in the market. It requires a lot of focus, balance, and patience, and the vision should include all areas of operation. Basically, if we stay balanced and don’t lose patience, the roadblocks go away.
My success mantra is that I never give up, lead a very disciplined life and take baby steps every day toward reaching my dreams.
How do you see the Indian learning landscape evolving in the future and which industry trends will create the strongest impact?
The Edtech industry is expected to grow to US$ 10.4 billion by 2025 with over 37 billion subscribers in the next 10 years. Since the government is planning to implement the new education policy in the future, the sector is bound to see exponential growth. We will have constantly evolving content to fulfil edtech demands. How well we meet technological demands will be a crucial driving point. Also, providing a robust and efficient platform to impart knowledge is another factor. Platforms should be learner-driven with byte-sized learning in view of the low attention span and scarcity of time. There should be a multi-disciplinary approach to problem-solving to drive growth.
What are some of the most important milestones that you have achieved during your professional journey?
I forayed into the field of computers during the early 1990s when India had just started to see investments in computers and information technology. I have got past various milestones such as working on instructional research for a premier IT education company. Second milestone was working as Project Manager for a Dutch firm which helped me understand how new technologies were getting implemented and growing to become Director of Operations for an MNC. Third was when I joined IIT-Madras for a World Bank-funded project where we were helping around 1200 farmers in Tamil Nadu by setting up a help desk integrating geographical information, weather monitoring, and more. Another achievement was working for an IT skills enhancement company to provide technical training in programming.
What message would you give to young women who aspire to become leaders or entrepreneurs in the future?
I believe that women have innate qualities to become successful entrepreneurs since we are natural providers. Women are an embodiment of creativity, patience, and dare to dream. We have the ability to build something out of nothing. Entrepreneurship is about giving and women are always giving and providing to their families and to society. Every woman should nurture her dream and have an idea which could evolve over a period of time and once it is implementation ready, things will fall into place. Other skills that are required to run a business such as marketing, strategy, and technical expertise can be learned but we should be proud of the innate qualities we have as women that enable us to be entrepreneurs and build successful businesses that have a positive social impact.
Swarna Subramanian, Founder, Learningsaga Technologies
Swarna Subramanian has over three decades of experience working in the IT industry. Swarna believes in building high-performance teams through effective communication that can efficiently bridge learning gaps in the edtech industry. She is also a former national chess player and has a background in English Literature.
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