Session on BOP
Innovative Approaches in e-governance: A GOI Experience
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B. K.Gairola |
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Profile
Dr. B. K Gairola is posted as Mission Director (e-Governance), Government of India, Department of Electronics & Information Technology (DeitY), Ministry of Communications & Information Technology. Dr. Gairola has served as Director General, National Informatics Centre, Government of India for over six years before taking the new assignment. He has had an illustrious academic and professional career. He obtained B. Tech in Chemical Engineering from IIT Kanpur in 1971. He went on to do M. Tech and Ph. D in Computer Science from IIT Kanpur.
He has participated in several international conferences and represented the country in various multi-lateral fora. He is the Chairman in the National Centre for Trade Information, Member of the Executive Committee, National Science Centre, and fellow of the Indian National Academy of Sciences.
He was conferred the SKOCH ICT for India – Lifetime Achievement Award in 2010 and the Science and Technology Excellence Award 2010 by the Uttarakhand State Council for Science and Technology.
Over more than three decades, Dr. B. K. Gairola has played a key role in shaping some of the most crucial and far reaching initiatives in e-governance in the country. He is responsible for evolving the concept of a common “National super highway in Cyber space in India” with the objective of helping the nation to leap frog into the ‘Knowledge Society’ .The multi gigabit network called National knowledge Network (NKN) is being implemented with the assistance of NIC. The initial phase has already implemented covering top academic and research institutes. It will cover more than 1500 institutions spanning the whole country.
His contribution in the field of Information Technology started with research in basic Computer Science progressed to its application for practical use and currently includes understanding of social and psychological factors which are crucial to the induction of Information Technology in society. He has been involved for more than three decades in propagating IT culture among the top level decision makers, both political and executive of this country. This has helped a great deal in building up an environment conducive to improved decision making through the use of IT in government. Conceptualization, building and induction of on-line information systems in various fields like passport, immigration, vehicle management etc. have been a significant contribution. This has led to improvement in public services.
Realizing the virtual stronghold of the developed countries on the specialized core software technologies like CAD, CAM/CIM & GIS, he worked towards building self-sufficiency in these technologies. He has also contributed towards and assisted in building indigenous and cost effective Information Technology infrastructure in the country and thus in building a base for India to move into the 21st century.
He has been actively participating in the E-Governance initiatives in India. Particularly with a view to speed up the diffusion of Information Technology in building efficient Citizen services. He has also been deeply involved in creation of effective Cyber Security environment in the country, both with a view to give technical and legal frame work and also to build secure Cyber infrastructure for effective propagation of E-Governance. He developed a framework for induction of ICT at Panchayat level in India. This is aimed at taking technology to the masses, as a part of culture building, inclusiveness and tool for development at the grass root level.
Presently, Dr. Gairola is deeply involved in evolving new strategies for taking ICT to the masses and thereby building inclusive, participative and open government by democratizing information.
Dr. B.K. Gairola in his long and illustrious career has distinguished himself as a great visionary working with commitment and dedication to harness the benefit of ICT for the aam aadmi. His contribution and achievements in the field of ICT have been highly significant and immensely valuable.
