The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh / Hyderabad News : Abdul Kalam for knowledge grid

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Aug 16, 2007
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

Abdul Kalam for knowledge grid

‘It will help remove illiteracy, upgrade educational system’

Photo: Mohd.Yousuf

Words of wisdom: Former President Abdul Kalam addressing students of IIIT in Hyderabad on Wednesday. -

HYDERABAD: Former President Abdul Kalam has said the time has come to chart a new pathway for India to march ahead in the competitive world through the creation of knowledge grid.

Addressing the students and faculty of International Institute of Information Technology, Gachibowli, on the occasion of Independence Day here on Wednesday, Dr. Kalam unveiled the road map for transforming India through the synergy of IT, agriculture, industry and the delivery of social services.

The audience heard him in rapt attention as he dwelled on the topic ‘Knowledge Grid for Transforming India’.

The knowledge grid would have an impact on removing illiteracy, upgrading educational system at various levels, he said adding that a grid was not just an inter-connection of computers but also an integration of scientific minds and their tools in a virtual environment.

In order to make the country the most advanced knowledge society, efforts should be for making high speed bandwidth available without hindrance and almost free, for Internet2 applications.

The grid initiatives should aim at making the computing, equipment and human resources available to every one. Stating that independent India was now on its ‘61st orbit’ with many major milestones, he emphasised IT was one such important one with a potential to realise the competitive profile of India before 2020 by removing the digital and urban-rural divide among people.

Time has come for exhibiting originality, contributing to research which in turn would enrich teaching, he said.

The mission of IT in India should be for transforming knowledge into employable education with values and liberating multiple sectors. When economy and environment were linked to technology that would promote prosperity, he stated.

The software export revenue of $60 billion by 2010 was not good enough. It should be upgraded to $200 billion by 2015 in the knowledge domain, he said. The IT products profile should transform from outsourced projects to the development of innovative knowledge products and ITES to knowledge based services.

In addition to export market, one should focus on G2G services, computerisation of about 15,000 district and subordinate courts and Statewide area network in place by 2008 and for all this the software industry should provide solutions within three years.

The software professionals’ responsibilities should include setting up of village knowledge centre, education and healthcare facility for remote rural areas through cost-effective products and services to make a difference to lives of 220 million below the poverty line, Dr. Kalam said.Earlier, IIIT-H Director Rajeev Sangal spoke. followed by patriotic songs and poems by students.

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