Guwahati: A conversation to increase digital awareness at the grassroots level in the northeastern region was taken up at the Royal Global University (RGU) located in Guwahati, Assam.

The Royal School of Commerce (RSC) in collaboration with several agencies and organizations held the 7th Community Network Xchange (CNX) and the 8th e-Northeast on November 24 and 25. Primarily, discussions pertained to connectivity among indigenous and mountain communities towards a sustainable and inclusive digital society.

Vinit Sharma, the coordinator of the event and an assistant professor at the RGU, told Business North East that the purpose of the meeting was to enrich communities in the region by introducing them to the immense possibilities of the digital world. "Most communities in the northeast are hilly communities", he noted. "Our mission is to figure out how digitization can help the people in these far-flung areas."

Sharma further noted that although several companies are working to increase India's digital footprint, many of them have not been able to reach the grassroots, especially in the hilly northeastern region. "There are some organizations who are working on disseminating the innovations of the digital world in these areas", he said. "We, at RGU, have brought them on a single platform so that we can have these important discussions."

The coordinator clarified that the programme's primary aim is to boost internet literacy in the region. "For instance, if one is even sending a message on WhatsApp, that could be considered internet literacy. Our mission is to reach out to more people and ensure that they are not missing out", said Sharma.

Yesterday's session was attended by 250 stakeholders, Sharma said, who were either attached to start-ups or some other organizations. "The students of Royal Global University also got an opportunity to participate in the event and we hope this will be an enriching experience for them", he said.

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