Stamp size chip to connect rural India with internet

A chip the size of a postal stamp, designed in Bangalore, could connect rural India with internet technology. The brilliant innovation has attracted the interest of the likes of Facebook, Google and Microsoft, The Economic Times reported.

The tiny device, named Pruthvi, would power a system that can use television White Space to channelise the internet to scores of rural houses.

Bangalore-based Saankhya Labs, the creator of the chip, could help digitalising India to the next level.

"World over regulatory authorities are using or planning to use this spectrum for their respective connectivity programmes. India can take the lead in both technology and the markets for TV White Space-based broadband delivery.

And how long can the government not push the envelope... It's got to be expedited sooner than later," said Parag Naik, CEO and co-founder of Saankhya Labs.

Naik, Hemant Mallapur and Vishwakumara Kayargadde founded Sankhya Labs in the year 2007.

The chip designed by them would power a system called Meghdoot, which is capable of accessing existing TV White Space bandwidth available in India to connect the rural area through wireless broadband.

Saankhya, in collaboration with IIT-Bombay, IIT-Delhi and IIT-Hyderabad, will conduct field trials of its technology soon. The company has also been in discussions with Microsoft to conduct trials at Srikakulam in Andhra Pradesh.

According to commentators, the low-cost-internet-to-rural-Indians initiatives seemed to have come at a time when PM Narendra Modi has announced his Digital India project. The project which would cost $1.2 billion aimed to connect 250,000 gram panchayats in order to make internet connectivity accessible to every part of the country.