GOOGLE FOR RURAL INDIA

Objective: To provide an easy one-stop-solution for people in rural India

Background & Constraints:

  • Most of the people in rural India are illiterate. Do not know how to read and write.
  • There is no power supply in many villages.
  • Large variation in local language & ascent in India.
  • Agriculture in major occupation in rural India.

Needs Identification:

  • Health awareness, disease diagnosis & prevention
  • Education – Children and Adults
  • Market price of products – for selling their produce
  • Entertainment
  • Awareness of various facts in the world
  • Agricultural guidance

Proposed Search Solution:

  • A kiosk with a touch screen & supported with necessary multimedia
  • The kiosk runs on AC power. A provision for running the kiosk on an inverter when there is no electricity. For places with no electricity at all, either a solar panel to charge the battery (expensive option) OR limited usage of kiosk with replacement of battery through a delivery van regularly. (A van carrying charged batteries can replace for few villages everyday)
  • Contents of the Kiosk

-Animated useful pages from howstuffworks

-Maps

-Multimedia educative content

-Limited relevant offline content from wikipedia and google (in local language) (this can be updated time to time)

  • An operator with basic knowledge of computer required for initial training of people and then a person from the village can be given the responsibility of handling the things once he gets educated. An NGO can be contacted to help.
  • The output of the searched information will be in audio form.

Challenges:

  • Need for an operator during initial period.
  • Reading capability of rural people.
  • Making the search attractive for people to use it.
  • Initial investment in Kiosks.

Submitted By: Saket Tandon

SJMSOM, IITB

Roll # 06927801

Date: 09/08/07