Vol 3 Issue 8 | August 2014
 
 
 Decade of Digital Bharat (India)
Letter From the Editor
Dear Readers,
 
The world now is being primarily dominated by Information and Technology. In the preset scenario technology has a vast impact on various aspects of everyday life. From work and business to entertainment and education ICT is ruling every arena. With technology becoming more and more embedded in our lives we at Digital Empowerment Foundation are trying to empower more and more people across the country through ICT tools. We are regularly trying to reach to people who live in grassroots and trying to make them digitally literate.
 
Through one of our initiatives 'Helping Women Go Online' project in collaboration with Google DEF is now training over 180,0000 women across the country. In an initial period, through Community Information Resource Center (CIRC) we have covered approximately over 30 thousand of women; adolescent and dropout girls across India. To achieve the mission the HWGO programme is on full swing with training programme at the moment.
 
We are happy to share that last month we reached out to over 500 NGOs in 5 locations across India and Kenya through eNGO programme. The summit trained NGOs on using internet and other digital tools. The programme is regularly training more and more grassroots NGOs from across the world as well and helping them create an online presence so that the world gets to know about the good work they are doing in their region.
 
This month we also conducted a social media workshop for MLAs in Uttar Pradesh training them on effective use of social mediums like Facebook, twitter etc. It was a highly interactive session which explained on how social media can help politicians reach grassroots and be more associated with communities.
 
With the firm belief in Mobile Phones as a tool to bring forth change, we also conducted 'Mobile for Social and Behavioural Change' (MSBC) consultation, in partnership with UNICEF in India. We held one state consultation with all the key participants in the area of health and education covering beneficiary groups like women, children and service providers in Bhopal, Chennai and Lucknow. We are looking forward to host two more in Hyderabad and Guwahati over the next two months.
 
We at DEF believe in training and empowering people so that in future they can be independent and impart their learning to more people in their community and thus help towards building a connected India.
 
DEF organized its second workshop on 11th august under the Project Soochna Seva, as a part of initiative of European Union. Consultation workshop was based on "Information on Public entitlements & Role of Digital tools". It was a second meet among 14 partners to analyze & understand the requirement & feasibility of ICT in disseminating the information about the government entitlements and also to measure the impact in long term. Read more
Recent Activities
 
Chanderiyan-Changing lives
W2E2 project is a 3 month program under which 10 women from Chanderiyaan were selected and trained rigorously in the past 3 months on internet services right from how to turn on and off computer to sending mails and making online transactions. The objective of this program is to help each of these women become entrepreneurs in their locality leveraging technology. Following are their learning in the past 3 months. At present we are contemplating on business ideas with them which have a huge potential, can meet unmet needs of this region, leverage technology, upscale them and develop entrepreneurial nature in them. Read more
Engo Gujrat summit
With the motto of 'Inform, Communicate and Empower,' Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) started its journey in the month of December, 2002. Based out of New Delhi and registered as not-for-profit under the "Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860, the effort at DEF has been to find sustainable Information Communication Technology (ICT) solutions including digital and new media to address digital divide in under-served and unreached regions and communities. With a non-political approach, it was founded to contribute to an enabling social and economic order in India as well as in developing societies with the need based support of ICT tools. Read more
MSBC consultation held in Chennai
The MSBC Consultation, a joint effort of UNICEF India and DEF, was organized on 11 July 2014 at Hotel GRT Grand in Chennai, Tamil Nadu. This consultation was the second in the series to create a platform for practitioners who have used mobiles for SBC to engage with state governments and telecom service providers and partake in scaling up of the practices. The main objective of Chennai consultation was to share select case studies that have effectively used mobile phones for social and behavior change; and to create a platform to facilitate partnerships between state government and MSBC players. Read more
Social Media for Democracy Workshop'
The Social Media for Democracy workshop was organized for Uttar Pradesh MLAs by Fifth Estate Trust along with Digital Empowerment Foundation and India Development Alternatives Foundation. It was held on 9 August at the CM Residence, Lucknow and began with a brief introduction by Venkitesh Ramakrishnan, Chief Advisor & Advocate, FifthEstate Trust followed by an address by Shri. Akhilesh Yadav. Mr. Yadav talked about his own social media experiences and how it is a very powerful medium with both positive and negative connotations. The first presentation was by Piyush Poddar, Google. Read more
Towards Using Social Media for Development
Social Media has now shaped up as a full time job. South Asians love it as they are a chatty society and love to share what is happening around us. Although Social Media started making a small impact in India when Google started Orkut in 2003.It came into more prominence with arrival of facebook in 2006. But the real popularity is being witnessed since data charges have become quote less and even in rural India people can be seen queuing up to get small amount and few days's validity recharges to get what their 'friends' are doing or saying. Similarly Twitter & Whatsapp put paid to good old SMSes. Read more
Workshop for grassroots level organizations in Instanbul
The .ORG is one of the globally identified domains, which have been shaping the identity of numerous global communities such as businesses, educational and academic institutions, large scale and small scale enterprises, communities, campaigns and individuals. Numerous entities all over the world today rely on the .ORG extension to propagate their various objectives ranging from strictly economic, commercial to more widespread political and social causes. Globally across the Internet, the .ORG domain epitomizes a symbol of trust, global recognition, integrity, reliability and a tool to give that much needed edge for any organization. Read more
Manthan Award- Nominations now open
We are excited to share that we have launched the process of nominations for the Manthan Award South Asia & Asia Pacific 2014. We are inviting Nominations from NGOs, Corporate, Schools, Startups, Government, Industries & all ICT enthusiasts from Asia Region under 12 various categories. Manthan Award is a well-established 11 year movement for ICT & Digital Inclusion. The mission behind the award is to create an information rich society where everyone is empowered to create, receive, share and utilize information and knowledge through digital content for their economic, social, cultural and political upliftment and development.Read more
 
OSAMA MANZAR COLUMNS
 
2014 Union Budget addresses IT needs
The presentation of the first budget of the new Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government on July 10 reflects a mix of hopes and challenges for Digital India. Despite a political transition from the Congress party that governed India for the past decade, the new government seems to have retained the policy and programme continuity in the IT and digital space. In continuity, the new government has allocated USD 211 million (Rs. 1275 crore) for this sector, including USD 78.5 million (Rs. 475 crore) for electronic governance (e-governance) promotion. It has earmarked USD 49.7 million (Rs. 300 crore) for National Knowledge Network (NKN) expansion. Read more
ऩई सरकार से देश भर के मदरसों को उम्मीदें
आखिर किसी ने सोचा है कि आखिर क्यों अब मदरसों से इंजीनियर नहीं निकल पा रहे हैं? आखिर क्यों मुस्लिम बच्चे हाईस्कूल या इंटरमीडिएट के बाद आगे की पढ़ाई अधूरी ही छोड़ रहे हैं? हाफिज, मुफ्ती, मौलाना बनने के लिए मदरसों में 18 घंटे पढ़ने वाला छात्र, क्यों नहीं सिविल सेवा परीक्षाओं की तैयारी के लिए इतनी मेहनत करता है? शायद इन सवालों के जवाब की उम्मीद किसी को नहीं है। लेकिन, नई सरकार ने इन सवालों के जवाब के साथ-साथ आशंकाओं को भी दूर करने की कोशिश में जुट गई है। यानी भारत सरकार ने मुस्लिम समुदाय की उन आशंकाओं को खत्म करने के लिए कदम उठाने शुरू कर दिए हैं, जो देश का एक बड़ा तबका दशकों से दो-चार था। यहीं नहीं, सरकार की ओर से इशारा मिलते ही ह्यूमन रिसोर्स एंड डिवेलपमेंट (एचआरडी) मिनिस्ट्री और माइनॉरिटी अफेयर्स मिनिस्ट्री मिलकर नेशनल मदरसा मॉडर्नाइजेशन प्रोग्राम शुरू करने की प्लानिंग भी करने लगे हैं। Read more
CIRC Updates
 
CIRC Batadrava Completed Student Summer Camp
CIRC Batadrava, the youngest CIRC completed student summer camp with 60 students. It was the first initiative of CIRC with student of government school. The duration of the programme was three week. The centre took the initiative with local school. It was such a programme where concept of Integrated Technology Education (ITE) was introduced for the first time in a place like Batadrava. The main objective of the programme was to empower rural student with Integrated Technology Education. Read more
Helping Women Go Online
India has over 200 million Internet users, out of which 30 million users are women. The programme aligns with the mission of Google'sHWGO to enable 50 million women to go digital in 2014. The programme will cover women belonging to students, self-help groups (SHGs); Panchayat representatives; women entrepreneurs; women NGO functionaries; dropout girls and housewives. The program is being covered through DEF's currently functional CIRCs. Read more
Partners activities
 
Mobile Apps that makes difference
202 great applications made it on the shortlist. CONGRATS! Out of these projects the jury is now selecting the 40 WSA-mobile winners 2014/15 to be invited to Abu Dhabi. Keep your fingers crossed and check if your app made it to the 2nd round! Thanks to all who participated and did not make it this time. It was a tough decision! Read more
 
News to Know from https://www.facebook.com/mbillionth
अब ऐंड्रॉयड पर हिंदी में बोल कर करिए गूगल सर्च
गूगल लगातार भारतीय भाषाओं, खासकर हिंदी पर जोर दे रही है। हिंदी में मैप्स देने के बाद अब गूगल ने ऐंड्रॉयड पर हिंदी में वॉइस सर्च की सुविधा शुरू की है यानी आप ऐंड्रॉयड पर हिंदी में बोलकर गूगल पर सर्च कर सकते हैं। गूगल ने अपने इस कदम के संकेत करीब दो महीने पहले ही दे दिए थे, जब कंपनी ने बताया था कि गूगल वॉइस सर्च। Read more
 
All new basic Microsoft phones (incl. Asha) will soon come pre-installed with the Opera Mini browser
Microsoft, long considered the devil at Opera Software's Oslo headquarters, is now its partner.This morning, the Norwegian software maker announced that it's data-saving browser, Opera Mini, will become the default web browser for Microsoft's existing feature phones based on the Series 30+. Read more
 
Indians are about to outnumber Americans on the internet
There will be more Indians on the internet by the end of this year than there are Americans, according to Rajan Anandan. He should know; Anandan heads up Google in India.Even more striking than the growth through this year is the growth to come. Read more
 
मोबाइल बाजार में सैमसंग को पछाड़ने की तैयारी में माइक्रोमैक्स
भारत के मोबाइल फोन बाजार में जबरदस्त जंग छिड़ गई है और देसी कंपनियां तेजी से आगे बढ़ रही हैं. भारतीय मोबाइल फोन निर्माता कंपनी माइक्रोमैक्स हालांकि अभी भी दूसरे स्थान पर है लेकिन वह अपना गैप भरती जा रही है. यानी थोड़े समय में वह देश की नंबर वन मोबाइल फोन निर्माता कंपनी भी बन सकती है.Read more
 
How to Get Refunds on iTunes, App Store, Google Play, Windows Phone Store, BlackBerry World
Ever bought an app and then wondered - "what was I thinking!" Buying apps is easy, almost frictionless, and with credit card details saved on devices and purchases sometimes not even requiring authentication, there's a good chance people have made purchases they've come to regret later. Read more
 
स्टेट बैंक ने पेश किया हिंदी में मोबाइल App
देश के सबसे बड़े बैंक स्टेट बैंक ऑफ इंडिया ने अपने मोबाइल ऐप्लीकेशन स्टेट बैंक एनीव्हेयर (state bank anywhere) का हिंदी संस्करण लॉन्च कर दिया है. बैंक ने इस ऐप को मार्च में अंग्रेजी में उतारा था, जिसे अपार सफलता मिली थी. लगभग दस लाख लोगों ने इसे डाउनलोड किया था.Read more
 
 
News to Know from https://www.facebook.com/DEFIndia
Windows 9 codename 'Threshold' set for September 30th unveiling
It's thought that Windows 'Threshold', as the software is currently codenamed, will attempt to address users' annoyances at changes made to Windows for the touchscreen-optimised Windows 8.These include introducing a new-look Start Menu (offering access to programs as well as embedded live widgets) Read more
 
This chart shows the world's internet usage shifting to smartphones
It's well known that mobile phones are increasingly the primary device for accessing the internet across the world. Here's a great way to illustrate that using Google's Public Data service.Plotting smartphone usage against PC usage produces this fascinating chart which literally shows the rise of smartphone usage. Read more
 
Why Amazon and Flipkart will spend billions in India
hat is among the world's largest funding rounds for web businesses, exceeded by only a few firms such as Uber and Facebook. But some of its thunder was stolen the next day, when Amazon announced a $2bn (£1.2bn) investment in its India operations. "We see huge potential in India," CEO Jeff Bezos said in a statement. "It's on track to be our fastest country ever to get to $1bn in gross sales." Read more
 
India fails to throw weight behind NETmundial
Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF), a Delhi-based not-for-profit that seeks sustainable information communication technology solutions for underserved and unreached regions and communities, focuses on districts under the government's Backward Regions Grant Fund list. Wireless for Communities, a DEF initiative, has set up several broadband networks across rural Rajasthan. Read more
 
Cabinet clears 'Digital India' programme
The Narendra Modi Cabinet Wednesday gave approval for Digital India an ambitious programme to "transform India into digital empowered society and knowledge economy". Envisaged by the Department of Electronics and Information Technology (Deity), Digital India will be implemented in phases from the current year till 2018.Digital India is transformational in nature. Read more
 
THE DIGITAL CRUSADER
The handwritten headline on a white board perched on a desk is eye-catching: 'One Billion Connect'. Next to it sits Osama Manzar, 47, founder of the Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF), a non-profit in Delhi that works to bridge the digital divide in India. Only 200 million out of India's total population of 1.2 billion is digitally literate. Getting the remaining one billion connected is now. Read more
 
The camera of the future
Ten minutes into using the Lytro Illum, I'm throwing out everything I've ever learned about photography. Taking great photos with this camera has a different set of rules, a different guiding principle. Forget the rule of thirds; shoot for depth. Frame from below, because it makes everything look more dramatic. And most of all, stop half-pressing the damn shutter. Read more
 
How virtual reality can bring news to life
ournalist and film-maker Nonny de la Pena has been using virtual reality to help tell news stories. She told BBC Click's Spencer Kelly that the technology could give the viewer a sense of presence, empathy and a deeper understanding of events. Watch more clips on the Click website. If you are in the UK you can watch the whole programme on BBC iPlayer.Read more
 
 
Stay connected with us
With the motto of 'Inform, Communicate and Empower,' Digital Empowerment Foundation (DEF) started its journey in the month of December, 2002. Based out of New Delhi and registered as not-for-profit under the "Societies Registration Act XXI of 1860, the effort at DEF has been to find sustainable Information Communication Technology (ICT) solutions including digital and new media to address digital divide in under-served and unreached regions and communities. With a non-political approach, it was founded to contribute to an enabling social and economic order in India as well as in developing societies with the need based support of ICT tools and means. With ground work since 2003, DEF has reached over 22 States and 8 countries.
DIGITAL EMPOWERMENT FOUNDATION
House No. 44, 3rd Floor Kalu Sarai, (Near IIT Flyover) New Delhi – 110016
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