Archive · 28 Jun 2025
IIT Delhi Professor Talks Tech and Rural Empowerment
Imagine trying to help people in villages by using technology.
A professor named Aaditeshwar Seth is an expert in this.
He says things have changed a lot, with more companies trying to help, but sometimes they forget to think about the people using the technology.
Some projects that didn't work well did not consider how the users would benefit or how it would affect them.
However, things like using voice to teach or tools for community discussions have worked better.
Now, there's a project to help villages with things like water and land use, where they use tools to let the people make decisions.
The goal is to make sure technology helps people who don't have a lot of power.
Professor Aaditeshwar Seth discusses the evolution and challenges of Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D) in India.
Seth highlights the growth of various stakeholders in the ICT4D space, including non-profits, startups, and corporations, as well as the acceleration of innovation.
He points out that many ICT4D projects lack user-centered design, often failing to address potential harms and ignoring the wisdom of local communities.
Examples of successful projects include voice technology for education and Gram Vaani, which improved social accountability through communication tools.
Seth's CoRE Stack project aims to use technology to empower rural communities for climate resilience, using data-driven tools for sustainable planning and resource management.
- Who
- Aaditeshwar Seth, a professor at IIT Delhi and expert in ICT4D.
- What
- Discussion on the evolution, challenges, and successes of Information and Communication Technologies for Development (ICT4D) in India.
- When
- Over the years.
- Where
- India.
- Why
- To empower disadvantaged sections of society and improve sustainability in rural areas.
Challenges of ICT4D Projects
The evolution and innovation of ICT4D projects
User-centered design
Challenges of ICT4D Projects
The projects often did not consider user needs, leading to minimal impact.
The evolution and innovation of ICT4D projects
The focus was not on how the technology was being used or how to benefit the users.
Potential harm
Challenges of ICT4D Projects
Some projects introduced technology without considering the impact on the users.
The evolution and innovation of ICT4D projects
The focus was on monitoring and data collection.
Community experience
Challenges of ICT4D Projects
Many have not taken into consideration the experiences of the communities.
The evolution and innovation of ICT4D projects
The ideas of communities were not incorporated into the development of new technologies.
- Expert
- Aaditeshwar Seth, Professor, IIT Delhi
- Focus
- ICT4D (Information and Communication Technologies for Development)
- Project Examples
- Voice tech for education, Gram Vaani, CoRE Stack
- CoRE Stack Goal
- Climate resilience for rural communities
- CoRE Stack Tools
- Water and land-use planning, community decision-making
- Book
- Technology and (Dis)empowerment: A Call to Technologists