This article was first published in the Mint newspaper on December 9, 2015. Starting 1 December, for 100 days, citizens across the 33 districts of Rajasthan will come out and ask the government about information that may not be easily available. We know how information has different roles to play in our country. While the most…
The 12th edition of the Manthan Award South Asia and Asia Pacific Gala was held in an all-new ‘unconference’ style on December 2, 2015 at the India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. This year the Award felicitated 36 digital innovators selected out of 412 nominations received from 36 countries in South Asia and the Asia Pacific…
The 12th Manthan Awards 2015 were held this year in an all-new ‘un-conference’ style at India Habitat Centre, New-Delhi, on December 2, 2015.The event began at 3 pm with more than 450 participants, speakers, delegates and award finalists — from all over South Asia and Asia Pacific region…
This article was first published in the Mint newspaper on November 27, 2015. Literacy is not an issue any more. As long as we have digital media tools and a verbal syntax, we are literate and educated. For all endangered languages, digital media could be a saviour and a means of bouncing back. For centuries, those…
Recently I had the opportunity to spend a couple of weeks in India. I was part of a conference series, Startup Capitals that I was co-organising in New Delhi and Bengaluru. Then I stopped over in Mumbai for a few more days and met some more entrepreneurs. Most of the speakers in the conference pointed…
The Aajeevika-National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) is an initiative launched by the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), Government of India in June 2011. The Aajeevika Skill Development Programme (ASDP) is a sub-mission under NRLM. It has evolved out of the need to: Cater to the occupational aspirations of the rural youth who are poor To…
On 19th November, 2015 Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) in partnership with Henvalvani, a local community radio station, organised a district level workshop at Chamba, Tehri Garhwal district, Uttarakhand. The objective was to create awareness about various government schemes and how the benefits could reach last mile beneficiaries. Elected members of gram panchayats, district/block officials, social…
On 17th November, 2015 Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) in partnership with Zila Yuvak Kosh Samiti (ZYKS), a local non-profit, organised a district level workshop at Barmer, Rajasthan as part of its Soochna Seva project. The objective was to create awareness about various government schemes and how the benefits could reach last mile beneficiaries. Elected members…
Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) was the knowledge partner at the 11th International Language and Development Conference hosted by the British Council in New Delhi from November 18 to 20, 2015. The theme for this year’s conference was “Multilinguism and Development”’ and India was considered the perfect country to host this conference as it is one…
Chanderiyaan, the e-commerce outlet developed by Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) to empower world famous but hitherto impoverished weavers of Chanderi, Madhya Pradesh, saw a big boost in pre-Diwali sales in November. Till 2010, these weavers were at the mercy of middlemen and somehow eked out a living. With DEF’s comprehensive digital intervention they have now…