Across India, tribal communities continue to remain on the margins of mainstream development. While education, health, and nutrition are widely recognized priorities, the unique realities of first-generation tribal learners often remain under-addressed in many social interventions. High dropout rates, malnutrition, cultural disconnect, and lack of exposure to technology reflect a deeper need for development approaches that are holistic, locally rooted, and sustained over time.
Availity India’s partnership with the Viveka Tribal Centre for Learning (VTCL) in Karnataka offers an example of what such an approach can look like. Supporting children from over 60 tribal villages, the initiative brings together nutrition, safe residential facilities, digital access, skill-building, and culturally sensitive learning to strengthen both educational continuity and overall well-being.
As the development sector looks to deepen its inclusion efforts, this conversation with Vybhava Srinivasan, Managing Director, Availity India, reflects on why tribal welfare deserves greater attention and how long-term, ecosystem-led partnerships can help drive meaningful and lasting social change.
Read the complete interview below.
Q&A
A. What prompted Availity India to focus on education as a core intervention for tribal communities, and what specific gaps did you observe among first-generation learners in Karnataka?
A. Availity India’s focus on education as a core intervention for tribal communities stems from our commitment to create meaningful, sustainable impact in the regions where we operate. Through our partnership with the Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement (SVYM), we gained deeper insight into the educational realities of tribal communities in H.D. Kote and neighbouring taluks in Karnataka. Our engagement with SVYM introduced us to the Viveka Tribal Centre for Learning (VTCL), a residential school supporting children from more than 60 tribal villages.
In our interactions, we observed that many of these children are first-generation learners who face significant gaps—limited access to basic amenities, inconsistent exposure to formal learning environments, and minimal family support due to parents’ unfamiliarity with the education system. Tribal communities such as Jenu Kuruba, Kadu Kuruba, Yerava, Soliga, Iruliga, Beda, and Nayaka continue to be geographically and socially isolated, which restricts their access to quality education, healthcare, and stable livelihoods.
Recognising the transformative role that quality education can play in breaking this long-standing cycle of disadvantage, Availity India chose to support VTCL. Our aim is to help bridge critical gaps in resources and infrastructure, and strengthen a system that empowers first-generation learners to integrate confidently into the mainstream.
Q. For first-generation tribal learners, factors like nutrition, health, safety, and emotional support often influence whether they stay in school. At VTCL, which holistic interventions have had the most visible impact on student retention and overall well-being?
A. Availity’s discussions with the VTCL leadership and teachers revealed that the school’s most immediate impact on student retention and well-being comes from its strong emphasis on non-academic, holistic interventions designed around the needs of tribal children. VTCL’s approach goes far beyond classroom learning; it creates an environment where students feel safe, understood, healthy, and culturally rooted.
Teachers at VTCL are trained to be sensitive to the unique social and emotional backgrounds of tribal children. Many teachers speak the students’ dialects, and several are alumni or members of the same tribal communities. This familiarity builds trust and emotional security, a critical factor in reducing dropout rates.
Language barriers often discourage first-generation tribal learners. By communicating in the students’ native dialects and celebrating their traditions, VTCL creates a sense of belonging. The school has even documented tribal vocabulary with photographs to preserve cultural identity, and regularly invites tribal elders to share stories, customs, and knowledge. This cultural affirmation helps students feel respected and valued.
Recognising that many tribal children are accustomed to open natural spaces, VTCL avoids confining them to closed classrooms. Instead, learning often takes place in open or semi-open structures (Kuteeras) that align with their comfort and learning styles, helping them stay engaged.
To address issues commonly linked to dropout—malnutrition, poor health, and lack of monitoring, VTCL ensures nutritious meals throughout the day, periodic health checks, monitoring of each child’s BMI. As per VTCL, this consistent care has a direct and immediate impact on attendance, concentration, and overall well-being.
Tribal children often display exceptional athletic ability and creativity. VTCL leverages this by integrating sports, art, and craft into daily learning. These activities boost confidence, encourage regular attendance, and give students avenues to excel beyond academics.
Giving students hands-on exposure to skills such as agriculture, plumbing, tailoring, electrician work, and basic technology. Through IBT labs and community projects, students see the relevance of education to real life increasing motivation and preparing them for future livelihood opportunities, an important factor in keeping first-generation learners in school.
As per VTCL, they focus on maintaining clean, safe, and functional hostels, dining spaces, classrooms, labs, and sports facilities. For children living away from home, such living conditions significantly impact retention and comfort.
Together, with these non-academic interventions VTCL aims to create a supportive ecosystem where tribal children feel physically secure, emotionally connected, culturally respected, and intellectually stimulated. This holistic approach seems to be the cornerstone of VTCL’s exceptionally low dropout rates.
Q. From a healthcare technology perspective, how does Availity India’s core expertise influence the design of its education and child-welfare interventions?
A. Availity’s strength in healthcare technology naturally shapes how we approach our education and child-welfare work. Even though CSR sits outside our tech domain, we still lean on what we do best i.e., using data, thinking system-wide, designing for people, and focusing on long-term impact.
In healthcare technology, decisions are grounded in evidence and analytics. We apply this same mindset when assessing the needs, before designing any intervention. We work with partners like SVYM and VTCL to review quantitative indicators to ensure our support is targeted, measurable, and genuinely impactful. This helps us support what truly improves safety, well-being, and learning. Instead of one-off activities, we invest in strong, sustainable systems such as classrooms, hostels, dining areas, IBT labs, and digital tools, that benefit students for years.
Healthcare technology thrives on building integrated systems that improve user experience end-to-end. Similarly, our CSR approach focuses on strengthening complete ecosystems. Instead of funding one-time activities, we invest in sustainable infrastructure such as classrooms, hostels, dining spaces, IBT labs, and digital tools, that continue to serve students for years.
Availity builds smart, people-centred healthcare technology with a holistic focus on well-being, improving experiences for patients and everyone involved in the healthcare ecosystem. Inspired by this approach, our education initiatives also take a well-rounded path, supporting nutrition, safe living spaces, and physical and mental well-being.
This multi-dimensional focus reflects the same values that guide our health-tech work, integrated support, human-centred design, and a commitment to improving quality of life in a sustainable, inclusive way.
At the core, we approach CSR the same way we build healthcare technology - with empathy, clear thinking, and a focus on meaningful, sustainable impact. It helps us support communities in a way that is caring, practical, and truly aligned with what people need.
Q. How does your partnership with the Viveka Tribal Centre for Learning (VTCL) align with national priorities under NEP 2020, the Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS), and the Tribal Sub-Plan?
A. From VTCL’s perspective, their work with tribal students naturally aligns with the key goals of NEP 2020, the Eklavya Model Residential Schools (EMRS), and the Tribal Sub-Plan. VTCL provides equitable, holistic education to more than 587 tribal children in a full residential setting on the forest fringes of Bandipur. Their approach focuses on culturally rooted, multilingual learning that improves retention, encourages higher education, and supports healthier social outcomes, especially for girls.
VTCL has been practicing many NEP 2020 principles since 2011. Their model emphasizes whole-child development through open, nature-based classrooms, strong sports and arts programs, integrated farming activities, and exposure to basic technology. It also includes native, nutritious meals and close community involvement - key elements highlighted in NEP for tribal learners. Practices like engaging parents and giving them shared responsibility reflect NEP’s emphasis on inclusive governance.
VTCL’s residential model closely mirrors the goals of EMRS, which aims to provide quality residential education for tribal students in remote regions. Like EMRS, VTCL offers a safe, free, full-time learning environment for children from more than 50 tribal hamlets, with a strong focus on academics, culture, sports, and skill-building. Their girl-student ratio and student outcomes align well with the EMRS vision of empowerment through education.
Their work also supports the objectives of the Tribal Sub-Plan by strengthening human and social development in vulnerable tribal communities. VTCL addresses critical gaps in nutrition, health, attendance, and learning continuity, while preparing students for future livelihood opportunities. Their efforts complement government schemes around tribal education, hostels, and scholarships, helping ensure equitable growth for these communities.
Q. Despite schemes like POSHAN Abhiyaan and ICDS, malnutrition among tribal children remains high. What gaps did you find at VTCL, and how did this guide your focus on nutrition and hostel facilities?
A. From VTCL’s perspective, the ICDS and Poshan Abhiyaan programs provide essential nutrition through Anganwadis to help reduce stunting, undernutrition, anemia, and low birth weight among children aged 0–6 years, along with support for adolescent girls, pregnant women, and nursing mothers. SVYM works alongside these government efforts—not as a substitute—by addressing the specific nutritional challenges faced by tribal children living in forest regions. Their programs follow a life-cycle approach and are supported by strong community and institutional health initiatives.
SVYM’s Reproductive and Child Health (RCH) program starts right from pregnancy, identifying high-risk mothers and offering focused nutritional care. As children move into VTCL’s Montessori system, this continued support carries through their years in the VTCL hostels until they complete 10th grade, helping them stay physically healthy and mentally prepared. This long-term, life-cycle model—from birth through adolescence—creates deep and lasting impact. Nutrition plans are designed by health experts to suit the needs of the tribal communities, including children affected by conditions like sickle cell anemia.
By supporting SVYM’s nutrition work and improving VTCL’s hostel facilities, Availity strengthens these efforts and adds to the broader national nutrition mission. Availity’s contribution to upgrading VTCL’s kitchen infrastructure ensures that students receive safe, nutritious meals every day.
Q. Digital access is crucial for educational equity. How important is early digital exposure for first-generation tribal learners, and what outcomes do you expect from introducing computers and STEM learning at VTCL?
A. Early digital exposure is extremely important for first-generation tribal learners because it helps bridge gaps that often widen as students move to higher grades or urban learning environments. For many children at VTCL, school is their first point of contact with technology, so introducing computers and basic STEM learning early builds confidence and curiosity rather than fear or hesitation later on.
By giving students hands-on access to computers, digital tools, and simple STEM activities, VTCL helps them develop essential skills such as problem-solving, logical thinking, and comfort with technology, that are now basic requirements in most careers. Early exposure also opens up new ways of learning, letting students explore ideas visually, interactively, and at their own pace.
Over time, we expect this early digital exposure to lead to stronger learning levels as students connect classroom concepts with practical, technology-based activities. It also helps build greater confidence, especially when they step into higher education or vocational paths where technology is unavoidable. With increased familiarity in STEM and digital tools, students become better prepared for a wider range of careers beyond traditional options. Most importantly, it gives first-generation tribal learners a more equal footing with urban peers, helping close the digital divide that often limits their opportunities.
By bringing digital tools into VTCL, we are not just teaching technology, we are helping students unlock possibilities they may never have imagined and giving them the skills they need to thrive in a rapidly changing world.
Q. What early, tangible changes have you observed in students’ health, confidence, or classroom engagement since the VTCL interventions were implemented?
A. From VTCL’s perspective, students stay engaged in their academics because of the structured daily routine that supports both physical and mental well-being. A good night’s sleep, morning yoga, regular physical activities, and nutritious meals across the day all contribute to keeping them healthy and focused.
This environment has helped students thrive in their learning, reflected in improved SSLC (10th grade) results and a steady rise in the number of children pursuing education beyond 10th grade. Compared to three decades ago, when schooling met only basic needs, students today are healthier, more confident, and increasingly aware that education can transform their lives, help them support their families, and uplift their communities.
Many VTCL alumni are now forest guards, teachers, lawyers, and professionals in various fields. This year, one student became the first to join an engineering program, setting a strong example for others.
Through the Introduction to Basic Technology (IBT) program, students also take pride in applying practical skills, leading community projects such as installing electrical systems and rainwater-harvesting units in homes across their villages.
Q. From an industry perspective, how can GCCs and technology-led companies complement government tribal welfare programmes without duplication, while strengthening last-mile impact?
A. GCCs and technology-led companies can play a meaningful role in strengthening tribal welfare programs by focusing on areas where they add unique value, rather than repeating what the government is already doing. Government schemes typically provide the broad framework - nutrition, schooling, healthcare, housing, and scholarships, while GCCs can step in to close the last-mile gaps that often affect quality, consistency, and long-term outcomes.
For example, companies can bring in technology, process expertise, and data-driven thinking to help partners track outcomes, identify gaps, and improve delivery at the community level. They can also support digital access, STEM exposure, and practical skill-building, which are areas where government programs may have limited reach. Infrastructure upgrades like improving hostels, kitchens, classrooms, labs, and digital tools also help strengthen government efforts without replacing them.
GCCs can enable capacity-building for teachers, frontline workers, and community volunteers, ensuring that the people running the programs have the skills and tools they need. Collaboration with trusted NGOs helps companies stay aligned with community realities and ensure that support complements government schemes.
In short, GCCs and tech-led companies can add the greatest value by bringing technology, capability-building, data, and sustainable infrastructure helping government programs work better on the ground and creating deeper, long-term impact for tribal communities without duplication.
Q. In the next few years, how does Availity India plan to deepen or scale its engagement with tribal education and welfare while remaining locally relevant and outcome-driven?
A. In the coming years, Availity India plans to deepen its work in tribal education and welfare by continuing to focus on areas where we can add meaningful, long-term value without losing local relevance. Our approach will stay rooted in listening to community partners like VTCL and SVYM, understanding what students genuinely need, and supporting interventions that create measurable outcomes.
We expect to strengthen our involvement in three main ways. First, by enhancing learning environments that directly improves day-to-day student experiences. Second, by expanding access to technology and skill-building, giving first-generation learners early exposure to digital tools, STEM activities, and practical skills that prepare them for future education and careers. Third, by supporting holistic well-being, continuing to back nutrition and safe living conditions that keep children healthy, confident, and ready to learn.
Overall, our goal is to grow thoughtfully, in partnership with local organizations, and to scale in ways that strengthen what already works—helping tribal children learn, stay healthy, and build brighter futures.
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