A delegation of teachers and students from Moscow State University visited Super 30 on Monday and described it as a "great initiative to make a big difference".
The purpose of the visit, as Moscow State University professor Olga Arapova put it, was to take some meritorious students from mathematician Anand Kumar's free IIT coaching for poor, bright students to Moscow for higher studies.
"We had heard a lot about Super 30 and its students coming from weak economic background who have been groomed to crack the prestigious engineering entrance test for the IITs. The success story is going on for the past 15 years," said Olga, who headed the delegation.
She said Super 30 students, along with their teachers, had recently visited Russian schools as well as other educational institutions. She also invited Anand to Russia.
"What Anand is doing is inspiring; students from poor economic background who have limited resources are groomed in cracking the IIT entrance test," Olga said. "People like Anand are behind India's rich educational legacy."
Other members of the team were Alena Bobrova, Diana Raskolnikova, Dilafruz Kavrakova and Savrimo Kurbonova. They are from Moscow University and People's Friendship University.
Anand has groomed more than 425 students to crack the IIT entrance test since he started his free coaching in 2002.
Anand, who lost his father during his boyhood, had to face severe economic hardship. He and his brother used to sell papad on cycles to eke out a living.
Over the years, Super 30 has ushered in a silent social revolution through mainstreaming of children belonging to the underprivileged sections of the society by empowering them with quality education.
Elated over the visit of Russian team at Super 30, Anand said: "Whatever I am today is due to my students. I have worked hard in meeting students' expectations grooming them to crack the test."
The University of Tokyo had earlier taken a few Super 30 students to Japan, of whom two are pursuing higher studies there. Anand has delivered lectures at institutions such as MIT, Harvard and Stanford in the US, as well as in Germany and Canada. His work has been covered in international media such as Time, Newsweek, The New York Times, Discovery, and BBC.
