Keynote address by Richard R. Verma, U.S. Ambassador to India, at the Internet Inclusion: Advancing Solutions forum that was held in Delhi, India on September 25, 2016. Ambassador Verma discusses increasing internet accessibility and bridging the digital divide.

Keynote address by JS Deepak, India's Secretary of the Department of Telecommunications, at the Internet Inclusion: Advancing Solutions forum that was held in Delhi, India on September 25, 2016.

The Road-Mapping Session, facilitated by Arogya World Board Member Deepa Prahalad, is an interactive working session dedicated to crowdsourcing among the participants. Collectively, forging a path forward for digital inclusion and connecting the unconnected in India.

This dynamic panel of experts, led by moderator Deepak Maheshwari, provides information and insight on the current internet landscape in India as part of India’s digital development agenda. Through a collection of impactful lightning talks, speakers highlight projects and initiatives that are underway or being planned to provide meaningful access to the internet. 

Prasad Mantri, Principal Engineer at Oracle and Senior Member at IEEE, presents the IEEE Whitepaper on “Options and Challenges in Providing Universal Access” . This session provides an update on the outcome and main topics discussed at the IEEE Experts in Technology and Policy (ETAP) Forum held in Delhi in March 2016.

Luncheon speaker Parry Aftab, Founder Cybersafety India, introduces her work in the field including how she became one of the first five cyber lawyers in the world. Aftab currently holds position on several cyber security advisory boards for well-known companies such as Facebook, Instagram, MTV, Sesame Street and more. Sharing her career story, Aftab stresses the importance of cybersecurity in today’s technical landscape importance of cybercrime prevention.  Learn more about her initiative in India at http://www.cybersafetyindia.org/

Using the World Café as a launch point, at this moderated interactive roundtable lead discussants address challenges and barriers—such as infrastructure, funding, end user affordability, data gaps, gender, awareness, and capacity and skills—to internet access, adoption, and use in India.

Facilitator Karen McCabe, Senior Director, Technology Policy and International Affairs, IEEE introduces the World Café session, where all participants collectively explore opportunities for closing the gaps in internet connectivity access, adoption, and use. Through a series of questions and dynamic interaction, participants will discuss what is working well, where are there gaps, and what are the barriers or constraints—and opportunities—for accelerating and completing the rollout of internet access for social and economic impact in India.

World Café table rapporteurs will provide report-outs of discussions—framed in the context of consolidating and deepening understanding of the gaps, barriers, constraints, and opportunities—and developing initial suggestions about how to accelerate universal connectivity and digital inclusion in India.

IIAS Facilitator and Senior Director of Technology Policy and International Affairs at IEEE Karen McCabe, followed by Deepak Maheshwari, the IIAS India Program Chair and Director of Government Affairs in India and ASEAN at Symantec, conclude the September 15th event along with their gratitude to all those in participation. Read more about this event on the IEEE Internet Initiative Newsroom Page at: http://internetinitiative.ieee.org/newsroom/ieee-internet-inclusion-advancing-solutions-event-in-delhi-to-drive-collaboration-on-connecting-the-unconnected