Routes2Roots

What Routes2Roots does

Routes2Roots is a non-profit NGO registered under The Societies Act 1860 in India, founded in 2004 and headquartered operationally in Noida with a registered office in New Delhi. The organization delivers digital and physical cultural education programs in Indian performing arts and heritage to K-12 students, primarily through the flagship VIRSA program, which combines interactive smart classrooms equipped with Interactive Flat Panels, K-12 digital content covering dance, music, theatre, painting, and calligraphy, live interactive virtual classes led by experienced gurus, physical cultural workshops, and distribution of musical instruments. Routes2Roots serves government schools including Kendriya Vidyalaya, Army Public Schools, Delhi Government Schools, and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, and operates the International Cultural Classes under ICCR patronage reaching learners across 88 countries. Cross-platform mobile applications on Android, iOS, and Windows extend the VIRSA digital learning experience to individual learners globally.

The organization's business model is donation- and CSR-driven rather than fee-based: individual donors, corporate CSR programs (with named partners including Max India Foundation and Dixon Technologies), and institutional grants fund free cultural education delivery to schools and underserved communities. The organization is listed on the NSE Social Stock Exchange as a recognized social enterprise and holds ISO 9001:2015 certification. Routes2Roots supplements its K-12 focus with the All India Inter School Competitions (annual since 2016), the cross-border Exchange for Change Program, and a university-level cultural education track formalized through a 2025 MOU with Galgotia University. The co-founders Tina Vachani and Rakesh Gupta remain in active leadership, and the organization cites 24M+ students impacted and presence across 70+ countries as headline scale metrics, supported by awards from the President of India, the UN Intercultural Innovation Award, and the Kalam Innovation in Governance Award.

Name

Routes2Roots

Legal name

Routes 2 Roots

Website

https://routes2roots.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2004

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Routes2Roots is a non-profit NGO that delivers digital and physical cultural education in Indian performing arts and heritage to K-12 students across India and to international learners from 88 countries, funded primarily through donations and corporate CSR partnerships under its flagship VIRSA program.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cultural Education Services

NAICS

Fine Arts Schools (61161), Educational Support Services (61171), Other Schools and Instruction (6116)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Performing Arts & Music Lessons (Dance, Drumming, Instrument Lessons, Theater) (THAJAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

K–12 Instructional Design & Curriculum Development Services (EDAGAKAA), Language & Cultural Immersion Lessons (Local Language, Etiquette, Traditions) (THAJAKAG)

Keywords

• Cultural education programs
• Arts and heritage education
• Digital learning platform
• K-12 performing arts
• Non-formal education

Headquarters

HQ city

Noida

HQ country

India

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: Routes2Roots operates as a non-profit NGO primarily funded through donations from individuals and organizations. Donations support cultural education programs, smart classroom installations, and instrument distribution.
2. CSR Funding: Corporate Social Responsibility funding from companies like Max India Foundation and Dixon Technologies for specific programs and school installations.
3. Social Stock Exchange Listing: Listed on NSE's Social Stock Exchange, enabling structured funding and visibility for social enterprises.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Routes2Roots provides digital and physical cultural education programs in Indian performing arts and heritage for K-12 and college students, delivered through smart classrooms, interactive flat panels, live online classes, and workshops led by expert gurus. The non-profit also offers a one-year certified international cultural course reaching learners from 88 countries, distributes musical instruments to underserved schools, and runs annual All India Inter School Competitions. Programs are funded through donations, CSR partnerships, and grants, with no direct fees to beneficiary students.

Product overview

Routes2Roots operates as a non-profit NGO offering a unified hybrid cultural education platform called VIRSA (Digital Learning of Performing Arts). The core offering consists of Smart Classrooms with K-12 digital content, Live Interactive Digital Classes, Physical Cultural Workshops, and Musical Instruments Distribution. Supporting products include the International Cultural Classes (ICCR Course) for global learners from 88 countries, the annual All India Inter School Competitions, and the Exchange for Change Program connecting Indian schools with neighbouring countries. The organization provides cross-platform mobile applications (Android, iOS, Windows) for accessing its digital learning content. All offerings are unified under the mission of bringing cultural education to remote and underserved areas across India and internationally since 2004.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VIRSA: Digital learning program for performing arts - providing digital classrooms, interactive classes, and distribution of musical instruments to underserved communities across India.

Products and services

• VIRSA Digital Learning Program Hybrid cultural education program combining digital learning with traditional arts instruction, providing K-12 content and interactive technology for performing arts (dance, music, theatre, painting, calligraphy) across India and internationally.
• Smart Classrooms / Digital Classrooms Transformation of ordinary classrooms into digital smart classrooms with rich K-12 cultural education content and Interactive Flat Panels (IFPs), providing equal learning opportunities for children in underserved communities.
• Live Interactive Digital Classes Real-time interactive classes blending traditional art and music with modern technology, allowing children to learn new skills and engage creatively with cultural education.
• Physical Cultural Workshops Immersive sessions with expert-led lectures and live demonstrations bringing traditional Indian art forms to life, offering participants deeper understanding and appreciation of India's cultural heritage.
• International Cultural Classes (ICCR Course) One-year certified international cultural program offering courses in dance, music, theatre, painting, and calligraphy, with learners from 88 countries joining virtually and taught by experienced gurus.
• All India Inter School Competitions Annual competition since 2016 for students enrolled in the digital education program, with categories including Bharatanatyam, Carnatic Vocal, Flute, Guitar, Hindustani Classical Vocal, Kathak, Keyboard, Sitar, Tabla, Theatre, and Yoga across age groups 6-10, 11-14, and 15+ years.
• Exchange for Change Program Program connecting schools in India with neighbouring countries through letter writing, postcard exchanges, and oral histories recorded by students based on conversations with parents and grandparents.
• Musical Instruments Distribution Program Distribution of musical instruments to schools and underserved communities, combining digital tools with music education to unlock potential and spark imagination in young learners.

Quantifiable outcome

• 24M+ students impacted through cultural education programs
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• Galgotia UniversityflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 25 August 2025Historic MOU signed to offer cultural education classes at the university level, expanding Routes2Roots programs to college-going students. First-of-its-kind partnership for university-level cultural education.
• Max India FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2025CSR partnership under which Routes2Roots established Interactive Flat Panels (IFPs) in several schools across Gurugram, enhancing digital learning infrastructure for students.
• ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016International Course LIVE program conducted under ICCR patronage, offering certified cultural education courses to international learners.
• CCRT (Centre for Cultural Resources and Training)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration for Indradhanush program and teacher training initiatives, integrating cultural education with government training frameworks.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Teach For India: Fellowship-based NGO placing teachers in low-income Indian schools to address educational inequity. Comparable as a high-profile education NGO working through government and low-income schools, though its focus is on leadership/academic outcomes rather than cultural arts.
• Pratham Education Foundation: One of India's largest non-profit education organizations, focused on literacy and learning outcomes for underprivileged children. Comparable as a large, well-established Indian education NGO with broad school reach, though focused on core academic learning rather than cultural arts.
• Akshara Foundation: Indian education-focused non-profit working on literacy, numeracy, and learning outcomes in government schools. Comparable as a peer Indian education NGO targeting government school networks and seeking philanthropic/CSR funding.
• CCRT (Centre for Cultural Resources and Training): Government of India institution for training teachers and students in Indian cultural education. Comparable as a Routes2Roots partner (CCRT collaboration on Indradhanush and teacher training) and as a broader incumbent in the same K-12 cultural education space.
• ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations): Government of India body promoting Indian culture globally through scholarships, exchanges, and cultural courses. Comparable because it is an existing Routes2Roots partner (ICCR patronises the International Cultural Classes) and operates the international Indian cultural education mandate that Routes2Roots' global program overlaps with.

Emerging players

• eVidyaloka: Non-profit delivering live, online volunteer-taught classes to rural Indian government-school children. Comparable as a digital, volunteer-driven education platform serving underserved Indian schools, though focused on core academics rather than performing arts.
• Going To School (GoingToSchool): India-based social enterprise designing educational content and programs for government schoolchildren. Comparable as a peer design-led content provider for Indian school networks, with similar funding model via grants and CSR.

Direct peers

• SPIC MACAY: Society for the Promotion of Indian Classical Music and Culture Amongst Youth, a volunteer movement that brings Indian classical arts into schools and colleges through workshops and concerts. Closest direct peer to Routes2Roots given its shared mission of cultural/arts education for K-12 and college students in India.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Routes2RootsNGO
• YouTubeyoutube.com/routes2roots
• Facebookfacebook.com/R2Rngo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/routes2roots
• Instagraminstagram.com/routes2rootsngo/?hl=en

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Routes2Roots