Cerebrations: The voice that could stop another Dantewada ?

If you’re wondering, why I was harping on Mobile Technology and Infrastructure… it is precisely for this purpose… for IT to penetrate and add value to our great nation, benefitting the less-fortunate, giving them a voice and improving their economic condition - India’s Economic Future is IT & Telecom’s Future in Vernacular.

Information & Communication Technology (ICT) is the only way forward… we have seen how the advent of Satellite and Cable Regional Language Television, have transformed the hinterland, providing them with unsurpassed awareness of how the “others” live.

However, the problem is that both TV and Print are broadcast one-way communications….the economically less privileged get to hear - but are not heard.

This one-sided communication of listen but don’t speak is the cause of the tragic events we are witnessing that is tearing apart the Chota Nagpur Plateau region of our beloved country.

With Broadband connections being a miniscule percentage of the 600 million mobile connections in India – I truly believe the future of ICT in India (and incidentally, the world as well,) is on the small screen and not on a laptop or desktop.

It is 2G, 3G LTE and WBA, that will lead to the much-needed two-way communication, which will provide the less-fortunate with a voice and representation… the beauty of mobile technology is its scalability.

Apart from boasting the cheapest hardware cost and entry load, amongst all Information and Communications Technologies- You can use a Mobile to simply talk to someone, or use it in more interactive formats, such as IVR, SMS, Alerts and ultimately for full-scale Internet connectivity.

While urban Indians latch on to facebook, orkut, youtube and twitter (@shashitharoor) apps on their phones – there unfortunately remains a great void for similar apps in Indian languages, which can provide a powerful platform for individual representation and opinions.

While there have been great advances in Indian vernacular SMS, Email and News portals – There is no interactivity in the Regional Languages, no social networking, no online gaming, and very very few blogging sites.

The dearth of such infrastructure tools, applications and content, are what’s retarding the pre-eminence of the Unique Medium of Internet in India - as it has already been illustrated by our neighbour China.

Is this the voice that could stop another Dantewada?

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End Note –

Why is the Media FULLY focused on Lalit and his IPL kin and not the armed forces, the ‘insurgents’ and their kin???

Links in this Post –

http://aseemseth.blogspot.com/2010/03/is-it-bird-is-it-plane-noooo-its.html

http://aseemseth.blogspot.com/2010/03/we-got-carsbut-whither-roads-sad-state.html

http://aseemseth.blogspot.com/2010/04/no-words-can-express.html

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&tbo=p&qscrl=1&tbs=nws:1&q=naxal+maoist&btnG=Search&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&oq=&gs_rfai=

http://in.reuters.com/article/domesticNews/idINSGE63Q05A20100427?sp=true

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/3GPP_Long_Term_Evolution

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wireless_broadband