Nowadays we hear a lot being said about 'Digital India'. The recent push by the government in this regard is really appreciable. Individuals and corporate houses have also supported this campaign in some form or the other.
This collective resolve was in display when individuals changed Facebook profile picture with Indian flag colors watermark, when Facebook made an initiative during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to US and when Google offered support for setting up wifi networks across railway stations
What is Digital India?
Do we really know what we mean by Digital India? Does it mean providing internet access to all citizens of India, or is it about giving connectivity to everyone via some mode of telecommunication? Or does Digital India mean technological advancements in various fields such as telemedicine to help improve rural healthcare, or does it mean providing basic electricity access to remote parts of India and connecting with them via television?
In fact, each one of us may have different definition of Digital India. But when we unite together as a nation to take this initiative forward (and also encourage other nations to participate in this journey), we need to clearly lay the vision for this campaign at the outset.
How can Digital India help?
Digital India can help create more interconnected communities, which in turn can help ensure that all citizens have access to basic necessities. But Digital India will only be successful if we are able to begin at grass root level.
For a person staying in remote village where there is no electricity, the beginning of Digital India will be by providing him with electricity and then connecting him with satellite television. Having a wi-fi zone at a nearby railway station may help, but may not solely mean Digital India for this village unless and until their basic necessity of electricity is provided for.
The future of Digital India
We are at a stage where we are dependent on various devices and media to carry out different tasks. For example we are dependent on debit card to withdraw money from an ATM machine, we depend on a handset to make a phone call, we depend on a television set (though we can now do it on a handset as well) to view a movie, and we depend on internet to download a mobile app or send an email.
I think the future of Digital (not just Digital India) lies in creating a platform wherein the medium remains one (i.e. Digital) and one can use the medium with whichever device one wishes to.
