Educomp Solutions has raised around $155 million (Rs 856 crore) through a mix of debt and equity from investors like IFC, Proparco, Mount Kellett and promoters. The Company has paid its outstanding FCCBs to full. The balance is being deployed to meet Educomp’s capital expenditure and to strengthen its balance sheet.

Digital classrooms have modernised teaching by providing teachers a broad, flexible and agile methodology to streamline their teaching and make it more meaningful. Shantanu Prakash discusses how the transition from paper to pixel is rapidly growing across the globe. He discusses challenges and solutions towards moving on to convert every conventional classroom to a digital classroom.

Educomp gets USD 155 million (about Rs 852 crore) worth funds which includes funds from World Bank arm IFC, French development finance entity Proparco, private investment firm Mount Kellett and the company's own promoters.

Efforts are underway to spread digital education in rural India. Shantanu Prakash, Chairman and Managing Director of Educomp Solutions, puts forward his thoughts and experiences on Digital classrooms, how they must reach rural population as well, and how digital classrooms create a fundamental transformation in the way knowledge is imparted.

Outlook Business charts out their list of India’s Fastest Growing Companies and comes out with an eclectic mix of companies from consumer, healthcare, software, industrial and infrastructure. Educomp has been ranked 11th amongst India’s 40 Fastest Growing Companies. A composite rank was created by combining Company’s sales and profit ranks. Additionally, Outlook Business also marked out companies that are particularly exciting from an investor’s perspective. These are companies that delivered a return of capital employed of over 15%, every year over the past five years between FY07 and FY11.

Shantanu Prakash has been nominated for the highest honour -“Entrepreneur of the Year” Award for his exceptional vision in uplifting the education sector in India and bestowing it with much needed change at “Entrepreneur India Awards 2012”

Shantanu Prakash, CMD of Educomp Solutions Limited, founded the company in 1994. It is the only K to 12 company listed on the bourses with aim to transform the teaching-learning process through the use of technology and best practices. In an interview with The Hindu, Mr. Prakash outlines the role his company is poised to play in the future.

As Tablet Computers impact Indian Education, Educomp Solutions is gearing up to launch content that is device agnostic and runs on any tablet. Educomp will have the entire curriculum on the tablet including text books, digital content, remedial and tutorial services.

Get set for smarter classrooms with online attendance, touch screen digital desks, downloadable audio books for Tablets, and logging into classroom to attend lectures live. Schools like the Millennium School are already practicing the trend.

When Shantanu Prakash graduated from IIM Ahmedabad in 1988 and floated Educomp Solutions, entrepreneurship was a term largely used only in books. Over two decades later, his venture has not only diversified into various education segments but also inspired other companies to tap the education market. In a chat with Disha Kanwar, he talks about changes in his business strategy and why Educomp is betting big on the rural sector. Edited excerpts: