Telecom Lead India: Google has recognized 4 Internet projects for innovation in Karnataka, India.
Karnataka State Innovation Council (KSInC) and Google announced the “Innovation Karnataka” initiative and selected – Kanaja, Sakala, mDhil and RedBus, four innovators from Karnataka.
The recent McKinsey study states that internet could potentially contribute up to $100 billion by 2015.
Lalitesh Katragadda, country head – India Product, Google India, said: “Given the extraordinary employment potential of the internet, it is vital to create an environment where local innovators are inspired and empowered to create products with a global impact. At Google, we believe in the power of the web to help the next billion in India connect, learn and reach their true potential. This initiative is another step towards the same direction.”
Kanaja
Kanaja is an encyclopedic knowledge portal in Kannada, inspired by the Karnataka Knowledge Commission. Encouraging Kannada-speakers to increase their usage of online resources, it was created to compile all the data available in the Kannada language and disseminate knowledge, empowering Karnataka to be a vibrant knowledge society.
RedBus
People in India used to spend a lot of time queuing up for bus and train tickets. Today, Redbus allows people to buy tickets and check bus timetables online, even selecting their seats beforehand. The service, started in Bangalore, covers 4,500 routes across India. RedBus has also built an interface for bus operators to check timetables and number of sales.
mDhil
Timely access to healthcare information can save lives. With this in mind, mDhil set out to create an interactive and fun online portal providing basic health information via mobile phones and the web. The site also maintains a YouTube channel, which has attracted over 5.6 million views to date. on It provides valuable information on sexual health, emotional wellness, cardiac health, fitness, and more. mDhil now regularly reaches more than 30,000 users a day, and the number is only set to grow radically as more users access the Internet.
Sakala
Improved delivery of government services and procurement process are essential to Karnataka’s growth. In Kannada, Sakala means ‘in-time’ or ‘good-time’. The Sakala slogan, ‘No more delays, we deliver on time’ highlights the Karnataka Government’s commitment to deliver services on time. With a comprehensive government services portal, Sakala aims to ensure that technology becomes a leveller for all citizens across Karnataka – be it a rural village in Bidar or the IT capital of India.
