Kerala’s Own 'Tech Prophet': The Story Of Umer Abdussalam
In the bustling socio-economic sphere of Kerala, where tradition often intertwines with modernity, Umer Abdussalam stands as a beacon of transformation. Hailing from a family rooted in Kottakkal and now settled in Panakkad in Malappuram, his journey is one of relentless curiosity, resilience, and a profound belief in the power of technology to reshape lives.
From his early days as a civil services aspirant to becoming the visionary founder of Edapt—a platform revolutionising tech education— and a familiar face in the Malayali’s tech conversations, Umer’s story is proof of the idea that one individual, armed with determination and insight, can alter the course of many.
The UPSC Days
Born into a modest background, Umer’s academic path was far from conventional. “My first significant achievement was attempting the UPSC Civil Services exam, despite my modest academic background. In Class 10, I secured only one A+, and in Class 12, I barely passed. Unable to gain admission to an engineering college in Kerala, I moved to Tamil Nadu but eventually dropped out and returned to Kerala to pursue a regular degree. Even then, I struggled academically, failing papers in my first attempt at the final exams,” he recalls candidly.
Yet, this unremarkable start belied the tenacity that would later define him. His foray into civil services preparation marked a turning point. “I secured admission for an MBA at AMU and Pondicherry University, but due to a delay in receiving my degree certificate, I opted for Civil Services coaching at PM Institute, Feroke College. Until then, I had no notable academic achievements. I had a keen interest in quizzing—not as a consistent winner, but as an active participant. Reading was my passion, and I built my Civil Services preparation around that habit. In my first attempt, I cleared both the Prelims and Mains and reached the final interview in 2014.”
That first attempt at the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) exams in 2014 was a remarkable feat for someone who had never been an academic standout. Choosing Information Technology as his base, given his graduation in the subject, Umer initially opted for Geography and Malayalam as his optional subjects.
Umer with Lulu Group’s MA Yusuf Ali, Dr Puthur Rahman and Anwar Naha
“When I was preparing for civil services first, there used to be two options. IT is my basic graduation. I chose Geography and Malayalam as my options. Later the UPSC decided for one option for the exams, then I shunned Geography and chose Malayalam,” he explains.
However, his preparation in Malayalam was far from robust. He admitted that he was less prepared in Malayalam and never expected to clear the Prelims. After qualifying, he began studying the language seriously. Having studied in English medium with Malayalam as a second language, his academic exposure to it was minimal, apart from a paper during his degree. From there, he delved into Malayalam’s origins and classic literature. However, he acknowledged making major mistakes—like confusing Duryodhana with Arjuna when asked about Bheeshmaparvam. Despite scoring low in the Malayalam optional paper, his strong performance in other subjects secured him an interview. However, he missed the final selection by just four marks.
“Stopping yourself from doing something is not…”
Missing the civil services by a mere four marks could have broken many, but for Umer, it was a moment of self-discovery. “That was a time of knowing myself and gaining wisdom,” he reflects. He persisted, appearing for the mains exams in 2014, 2015, and 2016, narrowly missing the final interview in his subsequent attempts. By 2016, he made a bold decision. “Then I stopped Civil Services exam preparation in 2016. Stopping yourself from doing something is not everyone’s cup of tea. Most aspirants stop their preparation or trying when they run out of chances. The world opened up in front of me when I stopped the civil services preparation.” This pivot wasn’t an end for Umer but a beginning—a shift that would see him channel his energies into education and technology, eventually birthing Edapt.
Parallel to his civil services journey, Umer had been dabbling in educational initiatives. “Alongside my preparation, I was also running education programmes and eventually shifted my focus entirely to them. Initially, I started by offering Civil Services coaching in schools. However, an ethical concern arose—we realised we were limiting students’ choices by promoting only Civil Services. In response, we expanded the programme to include coaching for various competitive exams. Over time, we recognised the need to broaden students’ awareness of technological advancements, as many remained unaware of these developments.”
“The Fourth Industrial Revolution”
It was during this period that Umer stumbled upon a book that would redefine his worldview—The Fourth Industrial Revolution by Klaus Schwab. He said that reading the book challenged his conventional thinking, particularly about resource scarcity. He had been taught that essential resources, like oil, were depleting, but the book made him realise that technology was creating abundance. He noted that advancements were dramatically reducing the cost of essentials like electricity and water, improving the lives of common people. The distinction between relative and absolute poverty became clearer to him. Though he had studied Information Technology in college, he admitted that he had only learnt its technical aspects without considering its transformative impact on society.
The cover of “The Fourth Industrial Revolution” by Klaus Schwab
This epiphany spurred Umer to rethink his approach. “I gained more clarity… With this realisation, I felt I could drive change, which motivated me to stop the competitive exam coaching programmes I had been running. That’s when the idea struck—‘Let’s teach about the Fourth Industrial Revolution.’ That’s how Edapt began. Before formally establishing it as a company, I posted short, faceless videos about the innovations I came across.”
Into social media
His early foray into social media wasn’t driven by a desire for fame. “The hype I had received from social media was unexpected. When I started, I did not venture out to become something big in social media. I believe that my social media identity is a recognition of what I have been doing,” he says.
With around 278k followers on Instagram, 96k on Facebook and 301k subscribers on YouTube, Umer commands a strong presence through social media.
Umer’s initial efforts in the digital space were modest but impactful. “In 2015, we launched an online platform, Prep For PSC (which was shelved later), to help candidates prepare for the Kerala Public Service Commission (PSC) exam. The videos attracted a strong viewership, and I saw it as a valuable opportunity—most people were unaware of these ideas of innovation and technology.”
Yet, translating this vision into a viable product was fraught with challenges. He observed two key challenges: the opportunity in introducing new ideas to an unaware audience and the difficulty in convincing people of their relevance. Facing numerous rejections, especially in schools, he struggled with how to educate others on the subject. Developing the app also came with limitations, as they couldn’t effectively design the right communication strategy to convey their vision.
Despite these hurdles, Umer’s resolve remained unshaken. Edapt evolved through various phases—initially focusing on competitive exam preparation, tuition, and technology education. “There were three orientations for Edapt. 1. Competitive exam preparation, 2. Tuition, 3. Technology education. We did not have a clue at that time on how to go ahead on the tech education part. That time we concentrated mostly on awareness,” he explains.
When COVID-19 Hit
Samanthayude Kamukanmaar by Umer published by DC Books
The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 proved to be a turning point. During COVID in 2020, they made many programmes free, which led to media coverage and a surge in users to 1.5 lakh. Adding “Free” to the app description attracted organic users from over 100 countries, with only 30% from Kerala.
Umer’s foresight into technology’s transformative potential was further crystallised in his 2019 book, Samanthayude Kamukanmaar (Samantha’s Lovers), published by DC Books, introducing the fourth industrial revolution, and had a release event in the Sharjah Book Fair. “The book was driven by a market gap—I wanted people to be informed about the idea. While it had decent sales, the title Samantha’s Lovers hindered its academic acceptance. Ultimately, it was a failed venture at that time.”
Yet, the pandemic validated his predictions. “But, when COVID came, some started calling me a ‘Prophet’. Many tech advancements were available to us; we did not adopt them into practice. There was a rapid adoption of some ideas in the Covid time. Though it was a rapid adoption for the people, I had foreseen it. That helped for a perception change in the market.”
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Rebranding Malappuram
One of Umer’s most ambitious initiatives was the ‘100K Coders in Malappuram’ project, driven by a desire to rebrand his home district and prepare its youth for a tech-driven future. “I’ve been travelling to Dubai since 2016 and noticed many expatriates in blue-collar jobs. Fearing job losses due to automation, I aimed to familiarise them with emerging technologies. Attending Gitex exposed me to new innovations, reinforcing the need to bridge this gap. This led to the creation of ‘100K Coders in Malappuram’, which turned out to be a huge success.” The initiative, which benefitted over 70,000 students, garnered international attention, with a Dubai-based daily proclaiming, “Meet the tech entrepreneur who wants to turn Kerala’s Malappuram into Dubai.”
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Umer’s rise to prominence was further fueled by social media. 2021 was an important year for him, personally. One particular instance that fueled his social media activities happened in GITEX that year, where he addressed a business community, and that video went viral. By 2022, his online following soared to 200,000, bolstered by his timely insights into AI and ChatGPT. “That was when ChatGPT emerged, and I had a head start in discussing AI and its impact. My videos gained 5-6 million views, establishing me as a recognised authority on the subject.”
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Edapt: A Thriving Enterprise
Today, Edapt Learning Technologies stands as a thriving enterprise, profitable for the last eight quarters, with offices in Kuwait, Dubai, and Kerala, and a user base of 400,000, including 70,000 paid subscribers. “In schools, from KG onwards, we have tech programmes and our own textbooks and AI labs in schools. We have pure AI textbooks; children do not need to be taught input and output devices; they need much more advanced books,” Umer asserts, critiquing the outdated approach of many educational institutions. “Our education system does not encourage us to think and dream. Children should live fantasy. Fantasy would later become reality. We are stuck with reality. In that context, we can’t ask our children why they did not make SpaceX. Because what we had given them is a major question.”
He stated that Edapt had been profitable for the last eight quarters, a milestone many startups fail to achieve. Emphasising the need for continuous growth, he noted that adapting to reality often requires changing course. His personal brand had played a significant role in Edapt’s success.
As the founder and CEO, he held an 85% stake in the company, with three other directors. While he raised funds in 2020 and 2021, he hadn’t sought investment since.
He clarified that he never discouraged education but rather encouraged extensive learning. Describing himself as introspective, he admitted to rarely sharing personal struggles with others. Instead, he found comfort in his own company, which led him to develop a habit of reading. For him, gaining an edge wasn’t enough—sustaining it was just as crucial.
Umar says Edapt had been profitable for the last eight quarters, a milestone many startups fail to achieve
In a latest development related to Edapt, the Consulate General of India in Dubai, in collaboration with the National KMCC and Edapt Learning Technologies, has launched a multilingual Digital Literacy Programme to empower Indian workers. Supported by KMCC as part of its corporate social responsibility efforts, the initiative will be academically guided by Edapt Learning Technologies.
“Man of Ideas”
Umer’s friends offer a glimpse into the man behind the mission. A long-time friend observes, “Umar’s main drawback is that while he has plenty of ideas, he doesn’t allow them time to incubate. He has previously invested significant time and money into various ventures without prioritising return on investment, instead viewing them as contributions to social capital. I am aware of at least four such ventures that failed.”
However, with experience, this friend claimed that Umer has gained wisdom in this regard. “The positive aspect is that he sees these efforts as part of a larger process of building something meaningful. Whatever obstacles come his way, he handles them with care, treating each failure as a learning opportunity.”
Dr. Raheemudheen PK, a clinical psychologist and friend, adds, “Umer’s groundbreaking initiatives have redefined how individuals engage with emerging technologies, fostering a deep understanding of the world’s rapid digital transformation.”
“Through Edapt,” Dr. Raheemudheen added, “Umer has created a platform that simplifies complex technological concepts, making them accessible to learners of all ages.”
“Umer’s ability to break down intricate ideas into relatable narratives has earned his videos high credibility and validation from experts and enthusiasts alike. Beyond content creation, Umer Abdussalam is on a mission to bridge the gap between technological innovation and real-world applications,” he analysed Umer’s social media interactions.
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Reflecting on his journey, Umer remains grounded yet ambitious. “Growth is a basic necessity. We have new needs at each point in life. When reality hits, we need to change the route. In my case, the social brand of mine has helped us,” he says.
His philosophy is simple yet profound: “If you can make an incremental change in things you do daily, that will create an exponential growth in the long term. I am focusing on that.” For Umer Abdussalam, the mission is clear—to harness technology not just for progress, but for a fundamental reimagining of how society learns, works, and thrives.
