KOZHIKODE: In a bid to resolve social issues in a hi-tech manner, IIM Kozhikode (IIMK) students recently launched an android mobile app, Makeourkerala, an initiative towards a cleaner, greener and safer state. The vision is to enable any individual to expose issues around their locality and create actionable directives to mobilise additional support from public at large. The app lets users, tag their location and post social issues or activities nearby. Users can also share their sentiments, follow an event and track any social issue from the application. Individuals, government bodies and NGOs can create an invite for a social event with activity details, location and date to seek public participation.
This app will have dedicated flow of data, reports and support for issues through its application. The app will ensure better use of people’s participation with its various features like pledge support, awareness etc. “Through this app, we hope to achieve a strong platform where people come together for common goals that they have pledged to support. Our vision is to empower people with the right data and tools to ensure accountability,” says Prof. Sidhartha S. Padhi of IIMK. The app will closely follow a Wikipedia based admin model that ensures crowd sourced accountability model which is answerable to the public.
It means that all posts will be approved by admins selected by the users themselves. There will be periodic renewal of admins to ensure that the process is as democratic as possible. Makeourkerala is the inspiration of 5 Executive Post Graduate Programme students of IIM Kozhikode - Kochi Campus. Headed by Prof. Sidhartha S. Padhi, the team comprises Jomon Chacko (Delivery Manager, Tata Consultancy Services), Jebin George (Chief Manager, Federal Bank), Kurien Joseph (Manager, Federal Bank), Nithin Paul Cherian (Founder, Inmeik Technologies) and Paul James (Marketing Head, Fingent Corp.).
