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Seems like OLPC India is making some progress..<BR>
Finally one state has agreed to move ahead with it and that means decent numbers. I hear six digits. Not seven digits yet though.. Keep it up..<BR><BR><BR>
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Sincerely,<BR>
S Adhikari<BR></DIV><BR><BR><BR>
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<DIV>My name is Sujay and I work as an Advisor for One laptop per child India . I joined this organization in late Nov 2008 to focus on Business development in the country . Before joining OLPC India I worked in senior position of business development in Tata Teleservices, Xerox and Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd . <BR> <BR>From the time I started my job we faced huge constrains regarding the unacceptability of XO Laptops by the Indian Government . However under the leadership of our CEO Satish Jha we were able to counter huge resistance from the Indian Government and eventually succeded in convincing the Secretary for Primary Education to support OLPC programme in India . </DIV>
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<DIV>I personally visited several states including Gujarat , Maharashtra , Bihar , Manipur , Karnataka , Andhra, besides Delhi to get One laptop per child initiative implemented in the country . Proposal were sent to various states as well the Central government schools like Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan which consists of 980 schools in the subcontinent , Navoday Vidyalay Sangathan with 600 schools and DAV Schools which has some 600 schools. Our efforts were also directed towards the corporates for social responsibility initiatives. <BR> <BR>The Indian Government, however, created another barrier to impede our progress towards successful implementation of One laptop per child programme . False reports claiming the invention of 10 dollar laptop were circulated in the media . These activities were done under the instructions of a few Joint Secretaries in the government of India who were against OLPC as well as anything that came from MIT Media Lab or Professor Negroponte. </DIV>
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<DIV>They did not want OLPC XO to succeed in India . The proposal which would have come by end January got unnecessarily delayed and got stuck in the quagmire of beaucratic process . Again our team which consists of 8 senior people got their act together to ensure that OLPC becomes acceptable . Our efforts are finally paying dividends and one state government has given an approval to implement OLPC and requested the Central Government to turn it into a national initiative. <BR> <BR>We at OLPC India are confident that this programme will be successful in India albeit it is delayed due to the rigid attitude of some of the beaurcrats . Even congress party leaders like Mr Rahul Gandhi have begun praising this initiative . <BR> <BR>Looking forward to your support and suggestions,</DIV>
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<DIV>Sujay<BR clear=all><BR>-- <BR>---------------------------------<BR>Sujay <BR>Advisor, One Laptop per Child (OLPC India)<BR>New Delhi<BR><A href="http://www.olpcindia.net/">www.olpcindia.net</A><BR><A href="mailto:sujay@laptop.org">sujay@laptop.org</A><BR>c:+919899002807<BR>f: +13015604909<BR></DIV></body>
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