In the heart of India's tech community, remarkable individuals are leveraging technology to bring about significant change, particularly for those with disabilities or living in poverty. Here are three inspiring stories of how Microsoft MVPs in India are making a difference.
On June 10th, 2024, the Microsoft Office in Mumbai hosted an enlightening community event leveraging the visit of Prof. Sang-Mook Lee from Seoul National University, South Korea. Prof. Lee is a distinguished Korean marine geologist and computational scientist, who is quadriplegic due to a fatal injury in his spinal cord. He delivered a thought-provoking talk on "Can AI Help People with Disability?" to near 100 attendees, in-person and hybrid combining online. His insights highlighted the transformative power of AI in creating inclusive environments for people with disabilities.
Prof. Lee has an impressive background as The New York Times described in detail under the title of From a Wheelchair, a Scientist Pries Open South Korean Minds. He suffered a neck paralysis due to a car rollover accident, while conducting a joint geological survey with a research team from the California Institute of Technology in the United States in 2006. Even though this accident left him paralyzed, he returned to work within a year and continued to contribute significantly to the field of marine geology and computational science. He has been an advocate for using technology to aid people with disabilities, developing assistive technologies. He also mentioned during his speech at the event “I love Microsoft since it provides the most inclusive technology for people like me including the voice recognition technology in Windows which I use every day”.
The event, spearheaded by MVPs Kasam Shaikh and Nilesh Shinde, was a hybrid format to ensure broad participation. Among the attendees were 25 visually impaired individuals from the Blind Relief Association, who joined virtually from the Microsoft Office in Delhi under the guidance of MVP Navika Chhauda, known for her dedication to teaching technology to blind individuals, also shared her experiences, emphasizing the critical role of AI in providing new opportunities for people with disabilities. Navika and students who joined this event in Microsoft Delhi office shared their feelings after this experiences as below.
“The best part of the event was that my visually impaired students could attend the event at Microsoft office - that was a dream come true for them. Moreover, it was great interacting with Professor Lee Sang-Mook, who is an inspiration for so many. Hearing his journey was truly motivating for my visually impaired students.”
Navika Chhauda, a Cloud Engineer and MVP in Developer Technology, is a testament to resilience and the power of technology. Her work began in her school years and has since evolved into a mission to empower vulnerable groups through tech education. During the pandemic, Navika focused on visually impaired students and acid attack survivors, recognizing their need for technological skills to overcome societal barriers and gain independence.
Navika spent 3~5 hours every week to teach these people with Microsoft technologies like Office365, Azure and AI and helped 3 students pass Azure 900 certificate, providing them with the skills and confidence needed to navigate the digital world.
Navika has been contributing community over 8 years including Microsoft Student Ambassador and MVP with the passion using technology for a good cause. Navika's work has been appreciated and she has been awarded with Women’s Achiever of India, India Book of Record Holder, Top 100 World Book of Record Holder. Navika aims at reaching out to people at large and creating a bigger and positive impact in people's live by empowering them with tech education.
Led by AI Platform MVP Praveen Srivatsa, the Thinkar Foundation has been instrumental in providing technology training to underprivileged children. The foundation's apprenticeship program teaches children to develop tech solutions for various NGOs. Projects include a rehabilitation tracker for Mobility India, a malnutrition tracker for the Spirulina Foundation, and OpenAI based learning platform for One School At A Time (OSAAT).
Since its inception in November 2022, the Thinkar Foundation has trained 7 children who are now developing the SaaS platform with apps for various NGOs. This platform, using Azure and other advanced technologies, ensures that the solutions are scalable and effective. The foundation has reached over hundreds of underprivileged children, helping them gain valuable tech skills and work on meaningful projects.
Join the Movement: Be a Catalyst for Change
These stories are not just about the remarkable individuals behind them but also about the potential of technology to create inclusive, empowered communities. By supporting these initiatives, participating in tech meetups, and spreading awareness, you can be part of this transformative journey. Let's harness the power of technology for social good and ensure that no one is left behind. Your support and participation can help turn these inspiring stories into a widespread movement for change.
Written by CPM Lead, Soyoung Lee
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