Creating a Future Where Learning Is Never Passive
Tarun Ramesh Agarwal
Founder & CEO
Kritrima Prajna Innovations Private Limited
Creating a Future Where Learning Is Never Passive
Tarun Ramesh Agarwal
Founder & CEO
Kritrima Prajna Innovations Private Limited
For over three decades, Tarun Ramesh Agarwal has worked at the intersection of creativity and technology. His career in media production and visual effects took him across more than 20 countries, contributing to projects ranging from Miss India 1996 in Bengaluru to award-winning VFX work for Indian cinema and global advertising campaigns. Along the way, he earned industry recognition, including an IIFA Award for Best Visual Effects, and collaborated with some of the world’s leading brands.
The move into education was driven by a simple realisation. After years of creating compelling visual experiences, Tarun began asking whether the same power of storytelling and engagement could be used to improve how children learn. That question became the foundation of eduCOBOT.
As Founder and CEO of Kritrima Prajna Innovations Pvt. Ltd., he has built an AI-powered STEM learning platform, eduCOBOT, that integrates coding, robotics, artificial intelligence, and IoT into an interactive learning experience. Guided by a leadership philosophy centred on disciplined execution and continuous innovation, Tarun is focused on making future-ready education more accessible and engaging.
In this exclusive interview with TradeFlock, he shares the experiences that shaped his journey and the vision behind eduCOBOT’s growth.
Why STEM, and what makes eduCOBOT unique in the edtech space?
The choice of STEM was deliberate and personal. When I looked at what was missing in the market, it wasn’t more content but a more connected learning experience. Most platforms teach coding, robotics, or science in isolation. I wanted to create a journey where students could write code, apply it to robotics, understand the underlying concepts, and learn through immersive experiences.
That is what eduCOBOT is built to do. Our differentiation lies in bringing together coding, robotics, AI, IoT, AR/VR simulations, and an AI-driven learning platform within a single ecosystem. We are not technology-first; we are pedagogy-first, with every component designed around the learner’s growth.
How does eduCOBOT combine agentic AI with child-friendly learning support?
AI-driven mentorship is a core part of eduCOBOT. Our platform delivers personalised lesson plans, assessments, and real-time guidance tailored to each learner’s pace and progress. When designing AI for children, however, empathy matters as much as intelligence. We know that the moment a child feels stuck or discouraged, engagement can quickly decline.
That is why support is available exactly when needed. Learners can access guidance instantly, removing frustration while preserving their sense of independence by allowing them to decide when to seek help. Every AI interaction is designed around child development principles and continuously refined through classroom feedback, ensuring the experience remains supportive, encouraging, and effective in sustaining confidence, curiosity, and long-term learning outcomes.
Looking back on your journey, what has defined it, and what lies ahead?
My journey so far has been one of conviction, persistence, and purposeful execution. We built eduCOBOT through bootstrapping, validating every idea in real classrooms before expanding across markets. Today, the platform is recognised by AICTE-NEAT under the Government of India, approved by Malaysia’s Ministry of Education, and used across India, Tanzania, Kenya, and Malaysia. While recognitions such as the Best STEM Learning Platform award at the STEM Summit 2023 are encouraging, the most rewarding moments are seeing learners grow in confidence and educators embrace technologies they once found daunting.
Over the next five years, I want eduCOBOT to evolve beyond coding and robotics into a broader learning ecosystem that supports learners across subjects, age groups, and skill levels. My vision is to make learning more interactive, accessible, engaging, and meaningful for students and educators worldwide.
How does eduCOBOT address learning fatigue and keep students engaged?
Learning fatigue is one of the biggest challenges in digital education, and we addressed it from day one. Our philosophy, shaped in part by my co-founder Jyotti S. Jalan’s learner-centred approach, is simple: passive consumption kills curiosity. That’s why every module is built around doing, not watching. Learners receive real-time feedback and guidance at every step, while concepts are introduced progressively to keep the learning curve manageable.
We combine coding, robotics, simulations, AR/VR experiences, and teacher-led sessions to create a dynamic learning environment. When students actively design, build, test, and see their ideas come to life on physical hardware, engagement follows naturally. Instead of consuming information, they become active participants in the learning process, making the experience both meaningful and memorable.
How did your experience in media production help you design content for eduCOBOT?
My media career taught me a lesson that shaped eduCOBOT from the beginning: even the best-produced content is ultimately a passive experience. Great visuals and storytelling can inspire and explain, but they cannot teach a skill as effectively as hands-on practice. That realisation became the foundation of our approach to STEM learning.
What my production background contributed was an uncompromising focus on quality, clarity, and user engagement. In media, every frame must serve a purpose, and I apply the same principle to every learning interaction we create. Whether it is a coding module, a teacher tool, or a DIY robotics kit, every element is designed to be intuitive, engaging, and impactful. The medium may have changed, but the commitment to delivering meaningful experiences remains exactly the same.
