IDEABAAZ Podcast returns with its eleventh episode, featuring Teena Paul, Founder and CEO of Giftolexia, in conversation with host Pooja Nerurkar. Powered by Adani, the episode shines a light on a challenge that remains largely invisible in India’s education system—the late identification of learning disabilities and explores how deep technology can play a transformative role in improving outcomes for children.
Watch episode eleven of the Ideabaaz Podcast here:
Founded in 2017 and incubated at IIM Bangalore, Giftolexia is an education deep-tech and assistive-tech startup focused on early screening and intervention for learning disabilities such as dyslexia, dysgraphia, and dyscalculia. In the episode, Paul shares how her professional background in edtech, combined with her personal journey as a parent, converged to shape the company’s mission.
The idea for Giftolexia emerged after Paul’s son was diagnosed with dysgraphia in Class 8—a moment she describes as far from early intervention. Reflecting on the experience, she says, “Very late. That’s the average age of identification in India. We literally wait for them to fail.”
During the conversation, Nerurkar probes why learning disabilities often go unnoticed for so long. Paul explains that, unlike visible physical disabilities, learning disabilities are largely hidden, especially in children who are otherwise intelligent and adaptive. “It’s what is called an invisible disability,” she says. “They struggle, but since they’re smart, they manage to cope to some extent. But if they’re identified and supported early on, they can truly excel.”
A central focus of the episode is Giftolexia’s proprietary AI-enabled screening tool. The non-invasive solution uses an eye-tracking device to analyse how a child reads. The process involves a child wearing the device and reading a few sentences for a few minutes, while infrared cameras track eye movements and generate gaze data.
“We use the gaze as a proxy for brain processing while they read,” Paul explains. “From that raw gaze data, we extract multiple markers and use a predictive model to determine a risk or no-risk outcome.” While the screening does not replace a full diagnostic assessment, it flags potential risks early, allowing parents and schools to take timely, proactive action.
Paul emphasises that early identification is critical not just academically, but emotionally and socially. Children who struggle in classrooms are often discouraged from pursuing extracurricular activities, even when they show talent in those areas. “What happens is, when these children aren’t doing well academically, they aren’t sent for any extracurricular activities—be it sport or music,” she says. “And often, they’re actually quite good at them.”
This cycle, she explains, affects confidence and self-worth, and in many cases contributes to school dropouts. “One of the causes of dropout is the belief that ‘I don’t know how to learn,’” Paul notes, highlighting how learning disabilities are frequently mistaken for lack of ability or effort.
Beyond screening, Giftolexia also offers structured intervention programmes. These include multi-sensory, phonetic-based reading interventions for dyslexia, writing-focused strategies for dysgraphia, and foundational math support for dyscalculia. Most programmes are delivered online, with options for in-school implementation, and are designed to be intensive and outcome-oriented.
“We assure parents that within 40 days—just two months—they will see improvement from the baseline,” Paul says. “We even offer a money-back guarantee.” According to her, consistent, structured intervention can significantly improve learning outcomes when started early.
The development of Giftolexia’s technology was not without hurdles. Paul shares that initial plans to license a European eye-tracking solution proved financially unviable. Guidance from IIM Bangalore mentors helped the team pivot towards building an indigenous solution. A breakthrough came when a medical device team agreed to support their research. “They just handed us a device and said, ‘Do your studies,’” Paul recalls. “That was a defining moment in our journey.”
As the episode draws to a close, the conversation shifts to how success and intelligence are defined in traditional education systems. Paul argues that children with learning disabilities are often evaluated only on what they struggle with, rather than what they excel at. “They’re measured by what they don’t know—reading, spelling, math—rather than what they’re truly good at,” she says. “It’s like asking a fish to climb a tree.”
Episode 11 of the IDEABAAZ Podcast offers a nuanced exploration of how technology, empathy, and early intervention can reshape learning journeys. Through Giftolexia, Teena Paul is not only building an AI-driven platform but also challenging long-held perceptions about learning, intelligence, and potential in Indian classrooms.
