A FREE UNIVERSITY (SCHOOL) IN THE CLOUD

EDUCATION DETERMINES THE PROGRESS OF NATIONS. Following 'THE JOMTIEN CONFERENCE ', nations of the world have made genuine efforts to eradicate illiteracy (and ignorance) among their populations. Organizations such as 'Teach for All' (Co-Founded by Wendy Kopp), Teach for America and as in my own country, Teach for India have spearheaded the fight against EDUCATIONAL INEQUITY. Although much has been done, much remains to be done. 17% of 19-year-olds are still in primary school in HAITI due to late enrolment. 80% of children living in RURAL AREAS in LOW-INCOME COUNTRIES transition to lower secondary education compared to 91% of those in urban areas. 13% of the POOREST in SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA complete lower secondary school compared to 70% of the richest. The yawning (wealth) gap between the world's 'haves' and the world's 'have-nots' has exacerbated these inequities. This gap in educational access, affordability and applicability is the bane of an entire global civilization and MUST be rectified if we are to claim our places as decent civilizations of the world. It is here that TECHNOLOGY will play an increasingly important role in the years to come. As a former Manthan Award South Asia Nominee (e-learning), it has not taken me long enough to realise that these are the hard realities of our contemporary Era. I'm determined to work to change the situation. (GANDHI: BE THE CHANGE...) 

Namaste! 

It's an honour writing to you to express my genuine interest in being considered for an MIT Solve Prize. I've developed an idea (based on my personal life experiences and after reading the lives of great women and men, including social reformers; educationists; writers and performing artists ET AL) which employs CLOUD COMPUTING; AI AND DATA SCIENCE to make education available to poor and vulnerable populations (like refugees and displaced people, including children) across the globe in a combination of VIRTUAL, PHYSICAL AND HYBRID FORMATS. This will be the world's BOLDEST EXPERIMENT IN EDUCATIONAL REFORM. Traditional educational systems and design cannot solve this problem as they cannot reach out across geographies. This University will surpass the Free Universities of Berlin and Brussels and the Tuition-Free Universities of Mainland Europe and Scandinavia because it will be the world's 1st TRULY AND COMPLETELY FREE UNIVERSITY . This experiment is not possible without funding and technology. Please note that it will be A CONCEPT DRIVEN, APPLICATION BASED EXPERIMENT IN LIFELONG LEARNING AND HENCE THE TITLE 'UNIVERSITY (SCHOOL)'. I would await your comments and advice. Please write soon! IN GRATITUDE AND SOLIDARITY. 

My target populations are the poor (the poorest) and most vulnerable populations (particularly, children and young people) in South Asia; Africa (particularly, sub-Saharan) and other regions where the needs are the greatest. Many of these are NOT in a position to pay their way through school and university. A FREE UNIVERSITY (SCHOOL) IN THE CLOUD is the need of the hour. My doors will be open to all those that are in certain ways vulnerable, because of circumstances such as poverty; hunger; disease and war and climate change and other preventable causes and/or refugees; displaced persons; those devastated by war/conflict etc. 

My life at my tender age of 49 has seen the immense pain and suffering of a Health Condition (Psycho-social Disability) with subsequent Physical Challenges and Travel Restrictions. I'm sure you wouldn't let my circumstances jeopardise my Application as I'm otherwise well-read with a record of books and publications and highly committed of calling. I have lived in India for 49 years and have seen both the lighter and the darker sides of India. When we say 'dark', we imply the most important issues: social; economic and political which are causing the society to decay. It is unfortunate that Indian society is decaying. With fundamentalism rearing its ugly head, with poverty and inequality touching obscene heights and with levels of material production and consumption coming up, we're at the crossroads. It's time we realized that we can't and won't do justice to India by nurturing hatred against our neighbours, indeed we MUST live and work as contemporaries if India (for that matter, any nation) is to make progress. Despite a debilitating life struggle which has thwarted my higher aspirations, I managed to overcome my circumstances with great courage and resilience. My work with 'Haijans' (Mahatma Gandhi: 'Children of God') at the very beginning of my career has spurred me on to work with communities in India. Over the years, I have managed to build up a strong network in my native India/South Asia as also throughout the world. I plan to launch my idea in the SAARC REGION (I'm in talks with my colleagues in Nepal and Bangladesh; and am also in touch with an Afghan Refugee Agency in New Delhi) and replicate my idea globally, particularly in Africa (my friends at Soul Beat Africa etc. will definitely help me)! I know this is NOT a cushy job, but a true visionary and pioneer will NEVER ever pull out until s/he has left behind HER/HIS LEGACY... Awaiting the blessings of the good Lord!   

It's been 6 years since I was awarded the prestigious 'PUBLIC PEACE PRIZE' from Montreal, Canada (Artist for peace, tolerance and solidarity) and I have come to believe that to BUILD BRIDGES, we would NOT need infrastructure to begin with but a FIRM VISION COUPLED WITH BEST PRACTICES OF THE SERVICE / PRODUCT, no matter what no matter where. 

Initially, there was some reluctance on my part, but then, this is really NOT just a concept. It has been tried and tested (one notable example is the 'Tuition-Free University of The People') though in most cases, these institutions / universities DO CHARGE A FEE. It could be as benign as an Application Fee or an intricate as the costs of studying and/or living if not both. My idea is NOT just an idea but a PROTOTYPE that has been tested over time with LIMITED RESULTS.

I have had several conversations regarding my 'PROTOTYPE' with Academicians, the Vice-Chancellor of a University based out of Uzbekistan (he's from India and known to me; has been on the Board of 'EDI' the 'Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India'), Non-Profit Board Members and my Mentors (including Prof. Aaron Milavec, Former Joint Vice President, Catherine of Siena Virtual College, OH, USA) ET AL.   

Finally, a word on WHY WE ARE YET TO GIFT A TRULY FREE UNIVERSITY (SCHOOL) TO THE WORLD. The problem lies with MAN HIMSELF. He will NEVER BE WILLING TO BE A 'SOLVER' WHEN THERE ARE SOLUTIONS (OFF COURSE)! EVERY PROBLEM CAN BE SOLVED. THE REASON MAN EVADES SOLVING PROBLEMS IS THAT HE HAS A JOB TO KEEP; AS LONG AS THERE ARE PROBLEMS, THERE ARE JOBS, ONCE A PROBLEM IS SOLVED, THERE WILL BE NO NEED FOR JOBS TO BE KEPT. THE DOCTOR HAS A CURE BUT WILL ALWAYS TALK ABOUT A TREATMENT, BECAUSE HE HAS HIS JOB TO KEEP. 

DOES THIS MEAN THAT ONCE ALL PROBLEMS ARE SOLVED, WE WILL HAVE NO JOBS TO KEEP AND SUBSEQUENT UNEMPLOYMENT? NO. ON THE CONTRARY, A CURE OF WHATEVER AILS MANKIND WILL BE UTOPIA! ISN'T THAT (A PLANET OF PEACE; PROSPERITY AND HAPPINESS) WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR? 

Despite an overwhelming mental health challenge (indeed, several such challenges), I have been a Super-Achiever! Remember Helen Keller: 'All the world is full of suffering. It is also so full of overcoming.'Remember also: 'It is silence that kills...' I may encounter huge difficulties (which are NOT just financial in nature) in the process of launching my DREAM PROJECT (this could range from securing the funding AND the technology to overcoming my initial fear of doing a long-haul IF NEED BE; I'm so happy to inform you that I've been able to combat a substantial part of my fears) but I'm DETERMINED to launch this Project. My baby may pass on from me to future generations (into the hands of our children and young people) but I will have left behind a LEGACY of sorts, including creating opportunities for many who are FIRST-GENERATION LEARNERS!

Please see previous section for more on 'what makes my solution innovative'. Thank you!

It is but logical (going by my previous life experiences) that there are millions of prospective learners who are NOT in a position to self-fund their education. This explains why millions of children and young people have deviated from the norms. Indeed, the sheer absence of love, guidance and direction as also welfare amenities has led to a situation where illiteracy and ignorance continue to be the norm rather than the exception. Again, as I said, this is NOT a very welcome arrangement. The absence of optimum WELFARE SYSTEMS may lead to unrestricted INEQUALITY and finally, CRIME, TERROR AND VIOLENCE AND WAR/CONFLICT. EDUCATION then becomes an important force to bring about SOCIAL REFORM and BUILD NATIONS. 

A MORE EDUCATED POPULACE MEANS A MORE ENLIGHTENED AND THUS A MORE AWARE (OF ITS RIGHTS AND PRIVILEGES) POPULACE AND IN THE FINAL INSTANCE, SUSTAINABLE PEACE...

This Solution will apply a KNOWLEDGE OF CLOUD COMPUTING; AI AND DATA SCIENCE to build our FREE University! I'm really not a tech geek and neither am I a student of S&T. I do,nevertheless, harbour strong feelings for ED-TECH and E-GOVERNANCE. Technology, well applied (as in Tele-Health and/or Tele-Medicine and/or E-Learning) has the power to ENABLE SOCIAL CHANGE. We're also talking about DISRUPTIVE TECHNOLOGY! ANYTHING used in permutation/combination that has the power to enable and/or directly effect change! I will personally endorse the employment of technology for it SPEEDS US THE REFORM PROCESS. Having said that, I will add that we will ALL ACT IN SOLIDARITY to bring this PROTOTYPE TO LIFE!

Currently, ONE. Have had several discussions with luminaries and laymen alike.  

6 years. 

I'm a DIVERSE / NEURO-DIVERGENT APPLICANT. I have used this categorisation as I have a Mental Health Disability and resulting Physical Challenges. Doing a long-haul to New York (should I be a Finalist) would be difficult, but DEFINITELY NOT IMPOSSIBLE OF ME. I would need strong motivational support though. Please give me that support! I'm well-read, and my life story has been covered on 'The Unstoppable Show' of Carrie Ann Mitchell (Jamaica); story4development (UNESCO) and by Your Story India. I have also been interviewed by David Banes (davebanesaccess.org) for a Global report. 

Please see my responses in the previous sections. Thank you!

I have no funding at this stage. This aspect shouldn't jeopardise my Application in any manner whatsoever. I think I'm capable enough and in a position to ensure that the funding flows sustainably. I'm already in talks with several people in India and outside India, and luminaries and laymen alike.