Reigniting talent through DigiKala

Sabhyasachhi Patra, a VII passed student from Abhirampur village in Nuapatna, Odisha, was struggling to complete his education due to the family’s poor financial condition. His father is a landless weaver, and the entire family, including Sabhyasachhi, depends on handloom silk weaving as a source of livelihood. The financial condition and pressure from his family…

Photo Story of the month

Every year Digital Empowerment Foundation conducts Mobile for Good Award in collaboration with Vodafone India. Last year ZMQ nominated their project ‘MIRA’ for the award. The project was selected as one of the four best mobile practices of the year and was offered INR 1 million funds and mentorship support for next two years. DEF’s…

MINORITY CYBER-GRAM

Keeping in view the low literacy level amongst the backward sections of the minorities, Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) and Ministry of Minority Affairs, Government of India launched The Minority Cyber Gram Yojana. The program aims at facilitating villages with minority population and is now in its pilot stage. Chandauli with 95 percent minority population is…

Archana Rajender Hegde

Archana Rajender Hegde Archana Hegde’s village in the rural Uttara Kannada district is a major trading centre for areca nuts. Many villagers live in abject poverty, working as daily wage labourers in the nut farms for the six-month production cycle. In the off-season, it is common for the men to migrate to cities in search…

Archanatai Jatkar

Archanatai Jatkar Archanatai Jatkar had many goals in mind to accomplish when she stood for the Gram Panchayat election in 2005. From the outset, amongst her priorities were the development of her village, quality education for children and better livelihood prospects for women. Elected as a female sarpanch of Pokhari in Yavatmal district (Maharashtra), she…

Internet impact on Indian society

With the help of Internet, some people from grassroots are helping eradicate some of the country’s most pressing socio-economic problems. They are willing to bring about a paradigm shift and are dedicating their lives to better the lives of those under-privileged. Our Team profiles such innovators who are fearlessly working towards upliftment of the society using Internet and are responsible for some of the most interesting initiatives.

How not to kill the golden goose?

The Supreme Court’s order that the government must auction all future 2G spectrum has raised the spectre that players will bid so high for spectrum that they will have little to spend on rolling out urgently-needed networks. Cash-strapped players, it is being argued, will have no choice but to punish customers with high tariffs.