IIT-M students kick off ‘computer literacy for all’

Chennai: With the objective to give ba­ck to society, students from the Indian Institute of Technology, (IIT) Ma­d­ras have started a social initiative, “computer lite­racy for all,” where stu­de­nts will salvage old computers given by residents of the institute and do­n­ate it to government scho­ols.

The students’ initiative is part of Shaastra, IIT-M’s annual tech festival which receives a footfall of over 20,000 people aro­u­nd the country. “This year’s Shaastra computer literacy for all, aims to strengthen computer in­f­r­astructure of institut­ions that serve the needy by salvaging old computers donated by residents of the institute, also sim­ultaneously effecting a reduction in the amount of e-waste generated by IIT-Madras,” Gayathri Me­­ka, public relations and media team, Shaastra 2014 said.

Pointing out that NSS volunteers at IIT-M would provide teaching support in association with an NGO, Ms Meka said that this year they would do­nate computers to Dr P.V. Rao High School at Raja An­namalaipuram in the city.

The four-day Shaastra begins on January 4, 2014, with the theme “Breaking Boundaries”. In addition to mainstream crowd pul­lers like airshow, robo­wars, symposium and ha­c­kfest, this year’s Sha­a­stra will host the pan IIT research expo, a path-bre­aking platform to showcase research being done across all IITs.

Envisage, the student organised techo-enterta­inment show returns this Shaastra, bigger and better than last year.

In addition to the str­ingle­ss instruments sho­wcased last year, many audio-visual treats await the audience. A total of 17 eminent speakers from India and abroad are ex­pected to deliver lectures during the four-day showcase event of IIT-Madras.