The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Microsoft launches Rural Innovation Fund

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Nov 16, 2007
ePaper

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Microsoft launches Rural Innovation Fund

Ananth Krishnan

CHENNAI: Microsoft India has launched a Rural Innovation Fund (RIF) to encourage entrepreneurs to develop software solutions customised for the needs of rural communities. The fund, a collaboration between Microsoft India, the International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the M.S. Swaminathan Research Foundation (MSSRF), presented its first awards to nine entrepreneurs here on Thursday.

Basheerhamad Shadrach, senior program officer, IDRC, said that the RIF had allocated US$ 200,000 for the next year, with each of the nine projects allotted a maximum of US$ 15,000.

The winners, chosen from over 900 applicants, had suggested solutions that focused on improving education, literacy, rural health, disaster preparedness and agricultural practices in rural areas.

Among the nine award-winners are Aruntec, a Chennai software company who have developed a web portal to extend agricultural markets to rural communities to cut out intermediaries, and Vritti Solutions from Mumbai, who have devised a disaster management system.

Aravind Eye Hospital from Theni proposed a low-cost telemedicine model for rural communities, with vision centres that would provide online consultations with ophthalmologists for rural patients.

“We formed the RIF to give these organisations the base and foundation on which they can carry on, and we will continue to support this effort,” Ram Narayanan, Director, Emerging Segments Market Development, Microsoft India, said.

The projects will be funded by Microsoft along with the IDRC, and will collaborate with Mission 2007, a national initiative led by agricultural scientist M.S. Swaminathan that seeks to establish a knowledge centre in every village.

“Content creation and capacity building are the two major requirements we have to fulfil in order to bridge the digital divide between urban and rural areas,” Dr. Swaminathan said.

“Capacity building is particularly important as we have to make sure that the technology is made useful for the needs of rural communities.”

The nine models are expected to be fully developed by June 2008, following which they will be implemented on various pilot project sites by the MSSRF.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail