By Aditya Dev Sood

What use can a computer be to someone earning less than a dollar a day? What use is information technology in a country that has a low penetration of telephony and computers, where even electricity is not assured, and where millions are still illiterate? These are standard questions. But diverse social and infrastructural needs must be addressed simultaneously to ensure a nation's future growth and prosperity. Already, several projects in the slums of New Delhi, in the fishermens' communities of Pondicherry and in the villages of Madhya Pradesh have demonstrated that information technology can and does positively impact the lives and livelihoods of the poor and semi-literate. More...