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SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY: MEDIA LAB

Connecting Bharat

It's an ambitious project to bridge the digital divide. But sources of funding are not yet defined.

By Supriya Bezbaruah

India scored over China and Singapore. That was only one of the reasons for the tangible excitement in the packed Regal Room of the Oberoi, Mumbai, on June 24. It was the launch of the Media Lab Asia (MLA)-the first such lab in the developing world and only the third in the world-that had the Who's Who of India's information technology (IT) sector in a tizzy.

PROMISING MOVE: Former IT Secretary Vinay Kohli (left) and Pentland finalise the MLA project as Mahajan looks on

Rightly so. The MLA promises to make India a major international IT research centre. It is also looking to bridge the digital divide among the masses. Affirms Union IT Minister Pramod Mahajan: "The idea is to take information technology to the people and change their lives." It is an ambitious project, backed as it is by the brand name and resources of the US' Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and supported by NASSCOM and the Ministry of Information Technology, Government of India. Even so, doubts are already being expressed over its feasibility considering the lack of focus in terms of planning and no identified sources of revenue.

The beginning, nevertheless, seems promising-it took only 12 months to clear the idea. The MLA could also open a vast domestic market for the IT industry which is currently mainly export driven. In a country of more than a billion, the penetration of the pc market is less than six million and there are less than two million Internet users. Increased access, courtesy suitable-that is, more accessible and cheaper-technology, promises huge potential.

The MLA is modelled on the MIT Media Lab in the US, set up in 1985, that has to its credit innovations like digital video (DVD), multimedia and Netsound (CD-quality sound on the Internet). The MLA will, however, focus on Asian and Indian needs. Says Alex Pentland, Academic Head, MIT Media Lab: "We would like to change the very concept of a pc, with a graphical interface easier for a country with 870 dialects." The focus will be on health, education and connectivity in rural areas. "Small, low-cost digital appliances, supplied to midwives could enable better data collection on health in rural areas," explains Pentland. "They could even take pictures of patients for diagnosis by doctors at the nearest hospital."

Ultra low-cost technologies are expected to connect rural areas. Some of the advantages envisioned for remote areas are one-room computerised schoolhouses, microbanking, improved public and postal services, jobs that can be performed digitally. "Digital storage of 20 books costs just Re 1," says Pentland, "so imagine the potential for education."

Narayana Murthy (left) and A.P.J Abdul Kalam at the Mumbai function

The idea is to use digital technology to enhance and improve traditional ways of life. Some projects are already under way in Uttar Pradesh and Tamil Nadu. In Kanpur, chikan embroidery workers produce relatively few garments over several months that sell for Rs 100-Rs 1,000. The bottleneck is the block that prints the patterns; changing print sizes to fit are also difficult. The Media Lab, working with IIT Kanpur, has now designed a software that allows a greater variety of designs in different sizes as well as low-cost plotters to quicken the process. Cheap Internet access helps the women keep in touch with demands and fashion requirements across the world. In Madurai district of Tamil Nadu, the Sustainable Access in Rural India (SARI) project is providing simultaneous telephone and Internet access to 50 villages.

The MLA intends to undertake similar projects all over the country, with the headquarters in Mumbai and regional centres and design institutes scattered across various states. The projects will be need-based and in collaboration with local NGOs as well as international bodies like the United Nations. However, unlike the US Media lab, the MLA will be a registered non-profit organisation with a governing and an advisory body as well as a technical board. The governing panel will include the Indian IT minister, Professor Nicholas Negroponte, one of the founders of the MIT Media Lab, and Pentland. The advisory body will include members from the government, industry, academic institutes, NRIs and NGOs.

A 10-year collaboration between the MIT and the Government of India is being envisaged, beginning with an "exploratory year" to finetune research work and develop specific plans. The Indian government is providing the "seed money" of Rs 50 crore for the first year. Subsequently, however, the sources of funding are unexpectedly vague. "We are estimating a budget of Rs 5,000 crore for 10 years," says Mahajan. "We will provide 20 per cent-Rs 1,000 crore-and the MIT will try to raise 80 per cent from private sponsors." But Pentland specifies, "The MIT only provides guidance, it is not liable to raise funds." Besides, the 20 : 80 ratio is not constant. Over the years, the MLA's contribution is expected to increase and the government's to decrease. But even so it is a substantial amount. "There's a role for large corporations and MNCs," says Pentland noncommittally. In a unique approach to funding in the US Media Lab, the industries sponsor the projects and jointly own the intellectual property rights of the products.

The Indian IT sector too recognises the MLA's importance but is cautious about financial commitment. "We'll see how it goes. We're interested as the MLA provides great intellectual recognition to India," says N.R. Narayana Murthy, CEO, Infosys. Adds Phiroz Vandrevala, chairman, NASSCOM: "The MLA will act as a facilitator for India to emerge as a technology hub of the world."

The MLA does indeed hold potential and Indians will hope that this MLA, unlike its politician namesake, lives up to its promise.

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