DEFdialogue with Ulrike Reinhard
In February, DEF hosted its fourth DEFdialogue with Ulrike Reinhard, a German publisher and author. She is best known for her skatepark in Janwaar Castle in Madhya Pradesh. Travelling to more than 100 countries, she has spoken to Nobel Laureates, nominees for the Nobel Peace Prize, high ranking politicians, internationally renowned thinkers, successful entrepreneurs, outstanding critics and activists.
On March 17, 2018, DEF hosted its fifth DEFdialogue with Nazia Erum, author of the bestselling book, ‘Mothering a Muslim’, which has opened up prime-time discussions on television, columns in newspapers, and reams of reviews. It has been called an ‘important book’ for our times that ‘fills a gap in Indian literature’’.
A silent revolution finds a voice on Doordarshan
Ocean in a Drop is an Indo-Australian collaboration between DEF and Andrew Garton’s Secession Films, showcasing tales of empowerment from rural India. The film peers through the lens of DEF’s work, reaching the poorest communities with digital literacy and broadband technologies, yielding entirely unexpected outcomes.
DEFdialogue with Aanchal Malhotra
DEF organised its sixth DEFdialogue in July with Aanchal Malhotra, a New Delhi-based multidisciplinary artist, writer and oral historian working with memory and material culture. She is also the co-founder of the digital Museum of Material Memory. Her projects explore the written word, various forms of the book and the versatility of traditional printmaking.
DEF shares rural India’s journey of digital inclusion at MozFest
In a proud moment for the organisation, DEF was selected to speak to a global audience at Mozilla Festival 2018 in October, about its efforts at taking rural India online. The MozFest is a week-long celebration for, by, and about people who love the Internet. Tech enthusiasts come together on this platform to showcase world-changing ideas and technology through workshops and interactive sessions. DEF had the opportunity to host two sessions there.
Providing digital marketing training to mini entrepreneurs
Since the launch of the three month-long project Facebook DOST, DEF has been delivering trainings to micro and nano entrepreneurs from five states. With a vision to enable more and more businessmen and businesswomen to become trained in digital marketing and have access to digital tools, the month of October saw two trainings of the trainers in New Delhi and Bettiah, Bihar, respectively.