Hi Friends,

Even as I launch this today ( my 80th Birthday ), I realize that there is yet so much to say and do. There is just no time to look back, no time to wonder,"Will anyone read these pages?"

With regards,
Hemen Parekh
27 June 2013

Now as I approach my 90th birthday ( 27 June 2023 ) , I invite you to visit my Digital Avatar ( www.hemenparekh.ai ) – and continue chatting with me , even when I am no more here physically

Monday, 13 December 2021

Thank You, Rajesh Pantji

 


 

Context :

Government to implement mobile privacy and security initiative: Rajesh Pant  /  ET  /  11 Dec 2021

Extract :

 

The Centre is implementing an ambitious program for mobile privacy and security which would alert citizens to the vulnerabilities present in their mobile phones and applications installed on it, National Cyber Security Coordinator, Lt General ( Retd ) Rajesh Pant said  ( ncsc@gov.in )

“ We are also implementing a project called ICAPS. That is the Indian Citizen Assistance for Mobile Privacy and Security

It is a project where the objective is to build an integrated server system which can collate all the mobile security-related information and provide customized and actionable knowledge to individual Indian citizens to secure their mobile devices and data on those devices “, Pant said at the  Indian Mobile Congress ( IMC ) 2021

The new system would verify the handset model and the applications installed on it and send a message to alert about vulnerabilities if any, while the relevant information would be provided to citizens in their native language, or the language that they understand


The solution should not only inform but also answer questions in a manner that users can understand , Pant said, adding queries such as on mitigating vulnerabilities, and relevant Government advisories, would be addressed

With consumer IoT now entering the workspaces, Pant said that vulnerabilities represent significant potential risks for individuals and organizations of all kinds

“ We are going down to the semiconductor level, the silicon level and see where the chips are coming from, and what is the importance of those chips in that particular product and then only we are certifying that it is a trusted product “, Pant added

On June 15, this year, the government launched an online mechanism and mandated any equipment connected to the National Telecom Network, must have trusted products from a trusted source

 

MY COMMENTS :

Ø  This is indeed, very good news. I hope, Govt will require all mobile phone manufacturers, to pre-install ICAPS software, before a device leaves factory gate



Ø  Then there is the question of hundreds of APPS which come pre-installed with a smartphone - AND - which the user, simply cannot UNINSTALL ! This must not be permitted. User should be able to UNINSTALL any app that he does not need

   

Ø  Apart from the mobile phone manufacturers, even Mobile Service Providers ( MSP ), install apps from time to time, without explicit permission of the users. This too must be prohibited

 

Ø  Most smart-phone users access web portals from their mobiles ( rarely from tablet – PC ) and download apps. Most of these “ steal “ user data . A vague – and long – “ TERMS “ statement is required to be “ I ACCEPT “ click . Can Govt send a “ VULNERABILITY WARNING “ (  to person downloading ), within minutes of download ? And suggest “ Action “ ?

 

Ø  As it happened recently in case of PM’s Twitter account getting hacked for posting a FAKE news, can ICAPS immediately alert all mobile phone owners about such incidences ?

 

Ø  Currently, mobile App developers upload their apps on Google Store or Apple Store . Users download from these stores . Can Govt develop a “ VULNERABILITY  SCORE “ ( on a scale of 1 > 10 ) and assign such a score to each and every App ? – and “ mandate “  that Google / Apple Stores display these scores against each app ?

 

Ø  How do ICAPS expect to catch those “ NO CLICK “ spying soft-wares ( like what PEGASUS recently launched ) ?

 

Ø  It is hoped that “ access “ to ALL the smart-phones in the country ( 1 BILLION ? ), by Central Government’s “integrated server system “, would not lead to the Central Government , snooping and listening / recording, everything a user is doing with his Apps !

 

Ø  On the UPSIDE, such “ integrated server system “ with dynamic / up-to-date, database of ALL the mobile phones ( including Feature Phones where too, some APPS are about to start working ), would greatly facilitate implementation of :

 

#  Mobile based VOTING

 

#  Monetizing of Personal Data by data-owners

 

#  Every citizen’s Health Records

 

 

With Regards,

 

Hemen Parekh  /  hcp@RecruitGuru.com / 14 Dec 2021

           

   

 

Sunday, 12 December 2021

Thank You, Nivruti Rai,

Thank You,  Nivruti Rai,

( Country Head, Intel India /  nivruti.rai@intel.com )



For unleashing the potential of LiFi to take internet to more than,

Ø  36 crore ( 360 million ) LED bulbs in homes

Ø  1.14  ( 114 million ) crore street lights 

( This figure is as of Jan 2021. Must be substantially higher by now, considering India has close to 300 million households )

Context :

Intel India pilots the Internet over power lines / IndianNewsRepublic  /  13 Dec 2021

Extract :

Intel India’s country head, Nivruti Rai, says the company has piloted a project in India called WoW (Wireless over Wire) that uses the Internet over wires.

Given that most villages have electrical connections, this could be a major step forward in making the Internet available in remote areas if the technology proves viable.

Installing fiber optics in all villages is expensive and time consuming. Some, like Elon Musk’s Starlink, are trying to achieve the same goal with satellites.


“There is a scalable and affordable way to provide data to the village (via wires) wherever there is electricity, and from the village to the house, it could be Wi-Fi,” Rai said.

She says the middle mile is settled. Fiber optics can be used up to the Panchayati level. The main hurdle was the section from Panchayati to the village.


There are challenges with data over power lines. They are more susceptible to external interference than they are through fiber optics. We have to see how well Intel has overcome them.


According to Intel, the concept of broadband over power is similar to how a telephone line carries both voice and data by splitting the telephone line into separate channels. Low frequency electrical signals carry regular telephones, and high frequency signals carry Internet data. For transmission lines, low frequency alternating current carries power, while high frequency signals carry broadband data.
The receiving point’s power outlet requires some changes so that different signals are transmitted to each device.


My goal is bigger than me, bigger than Intel, because of India, because if 600,000 villages are connected to data and have access to the global market, India will grow and we will do them. It grows with us, “says Rai.


The WoW program is part of a larger Intel initiative to work with industry, academia, and government to develop and deploy AI across sectors.

As part of this, we recently hosted the second edition of all.ai, a global 24-hour marathon summit that spans five continents, including India.

Last year, Intel worked with PHFI (Indian Public Health Foundation), IIIT-Hyderabad, and the Government of Telangana to establish an Applied AI Research Center called INAI.


According to Rai, data is a valuable product, especially if the data is clean, annotated, and contextualized. “That’s what we are building at INAI, and we provide solutions, technologies and partnerships through our programs and create value from India for the world,” she says.


Recently, in partnership with Mahindra, Nagpur Municipal Enterprise, CSIR/CRRI, INAI has launched a program called iRaste in
Nagpur. “We aim to harness the power of AI to reduce road accidents in Nagpur by up to 50% and create a national vision-free blueprint,” says Rai.


According to Rai, Intel is also driving AI through skills. The company has trained 200,000 children under the Intel AI for Youth program.

Source link >  Intel India pilots the Internet over power lines

 

Dear Shri Ahwini Vaishnawji – Shri Rajeev Chandrasekharji :

 

Dreams cannot get any bigger ! Especially if dreamed by none other than our PM Shri Modiji’s dream to :

DIGITIZE  INDIA

Of course, this is my dream as well, which made me send following e-mail, some 4 YEARS ago :

#WiFi #LiFi #Broadband #Internet ……………………….. [ 08 April 2018 ]

 

-           where I suggested :

 

But what we need is :

FREE internet connectivity to every Indian , everywhere , all the time

Here is my suggestion to achieve that :

*  Very soon , whole of India will switch over to LED lamps ( street lamps – homes –

    shops – offices – factories etc )

*  Within next few months , electric power will reach all the villages under “ Saubhagya “

*  Broadband over Power Lines  has established that internet can be delivered over

    simple electrical distribution network ( - that means , to every place in India )

   

    I believe, this technology is already working in USA – Canada – Europe etc

*  Li-Fi technology can deliver internet to all internet-connected devices , which are

    receiving light from an LED lamp , placed above

Li-Fi provides better bandwidth, efficiency, connectivity and security than Wi-Fi and has already achieved high speeds larger than 1 Gbps under the laboratory conditions. By leveraging the low-cost nature of LEDs and lighting units, there are lots of opportunities to exploit this medium. Li-Fi is the transfer of data through light by taking fibre out of fibre optics and sending data through LED light bulb

 

*  If that electric power comes from a roof-top mounted Solar Panel , even that power is free of cost

But the “ Holy Grail “ of “ Free Internet “could well be following , which made news some years back :

Every smart phone turning into a “ Signal Repeater Tower “ , enabling voice / data to jump from one ( nearby ) mobile to another ( next ) mobile , whichever is “ inactive “ at the moment

And keep jumping till the signal reaches its destination !

I urge Shri Ravi Shankar Prasadji to ask  Prof  Ashok Jhunjhunwala  to examine / evaluate my suggestion , along with the proposal prepared by Shri Sharma

   Dear Shri Ahwini Vaishnawji – Shri Rajeev Chandrasekharji :

 

The ball is in your court !

 

I urge you to :

Ø  Enter into an OMNIBUS agreement with Intel on rolling out their innovative technology all over India

 

Ø  Convince DISCOMS of all the State Governments and Private Sector DISCOMS ( such as TATA – ADANI etc ) to deliver internet over their electric power distribution networks ( at least 100 Mbps speed ), to all of their subscribers, at Rs 50 pm ( of course, this will disrupt not only the existing ISP industry but also the “ soon to be launched “ Satellite-based “ services like StarLink – OneWeb – Project Kuiper etc  - Cannot help ) . Your “ intervention / nudge “ to DISCOMS , as suggested by me, might well accelerate roll out of 5G telecom service in India

 

 

Ø  Standardize “ Receiving point Power Outlets “  and then incentivize manufacturers of such devices

 

Ø  Just as EESL distributed 36 crore LED bulbs ( under UJWALA scheme ) at highly subsidized rates, mandate EESL to similarly come up with a similar scheme for distribution of Power Outlet Devices

 

 

Ø  Bulk purchase from device manufacturers, will sharply bring down the price and make these affordable , even by poor households

 

With Regards,

Hemen Parekh  /  hcp@RecruitGuru.com  /  13 Dec 2021

 

Related Readings :

 

Ø  Hardik Soni : A Persevering Pioneer ………………………[ 23 Sept 2021 ]

Ø  Congratulations , Hardik Soni …………………………………[ 27 Feb 2021 ]

 

Ø  Light at the end of the Tower ? ………………………..     [ 16 Dec 2020 ]

Ø   Light Communications as a part of 5G and beyond  [ 23 Sept 2019 ]

Ø   Congratulations , Neha Satak……………………………………[ 01 Apr 2021 ]

 

Ø  Broadband over power lines (BPL) 

Ø  Broadband over power lines (bpl) for Indian Telecom Network

Ø  Study Paper on LiFi (Light Fidelity) & its Applications

    https://lifi.co/lifi-companies/

CC:

Gaurang Gandhi contact@lificomm.com

wangchuk@hial.co.in

gautam.adani@adani.com

karan.adani@adani.com

10hardik11@gmail.com

durgesh.guptaa@bgauss.com

harshal@mynextcomm.com

hardik.soni@navtechno.in

bd@astrome.co

prasad@astrome.co

contact@lificomm.com

jaladhi.shukla@adani.com

hardik.sanghvi@adani.com

rizwanaa@iiitd.ac.in

bernard.pailler@zero1.zone

ilivesimply.org@hial.edu.in

 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday, 10 December 2021

Monetizing of Personal Data : While we TALK, China WALKS

 


 

Context :

Will data exchanges become like stock markets  ?   /   Business Line   /  11 Dec 2021


Extract :

Ø  The world, however, is in a fix to decide how to regulate the usage, storage, and propriety of ‘data

 

Ø  A 2011 World Economic Forum report titled ‘Personal Data: The Emergence of a New Asset Class’ described “data” as a “new asset class” and argued that a massively increased amount of personal data “is generating a new wave of opportunity for economic and societal value creation.” It seems that China followed the suit.

 

 

Ø  China has now initiated transparent and regulated trading of data through Shanghai’s new Data Exchange that began trading on November 26

 

Ø  The Shanghai Data Exchange is viewed as an important move in accelerating the circulation of data and unleashing digital dividends.

 

 

Ø  A 2018 research paper titled ‘Can China Lead the Development of Data Trading and Sharing Markets?’ published in ‘Communications of the ACM’, of course, perceived that, with technology advances ( blockchain, AI, big data analytics, cloud computing) and maturing policies ( privacy, digital ethics ), better data sharing and trading ecosystems would help economic transition to a new level of global competitiveness.

 

Ø  Over the past six years, about 30 big data trading platforms have been established by various local government authorities and private enterprises in China, for trading whole datasets, Web crawlers, Application programming interfaces, and analytical results.

 

 

Ø  In December 2017, China’s President Xi Jinping said: “data is a new production factor, a fundamental and strategic resource and an important productive force.”

 

 

Ø  The Shanghai Exchange allows companies that collect data to maximise the values of their businesses while permitting purchasers to use the data to raise the productivity of their businesses. The transaction, however, will not be conducted if the data purchaser cannot explain the exact scenario in which the data will be used

            ( Author > Atanu Biswas , Professor, Indian Statistical Institute /  atanu@isical.ac.in )

 

Dear Shri Ashwini Vaishnawji – Shri Rajeev Chandrasekharji  :


To set up DATA EXCHANGES ( as in China ), is not an easy / straight forward task. It will require enacting new laws and framing complicated rules / regulations


In our democratic set-up, to enact such a law, we need a consensus / agreement of political parties


Then again, enabling COMPANIES to buy / sell “ data sets “ on Exchanges – and make money – should be a LOW PRIORITY


Our TOP MOST priority should be :

  Enable an ordinary citizen to monetize his PRIVATE / PERSONAL DATA, on a Govt-managed / regulated PORTAL ( www.IndiaDataCustodian.gov.in ).  Enable direct deals between citizen ( data-owners/sellers ) and companies ( data buyers / exploiters ) “


It is a pity that our proposed Data Protection Bill has NO PROVISION for monetization of Personal Data, by individual citizen


If you think, having debated for over 2 years, it is not possible to delay the BILL any longer, do go ahead


But, simultaneously announce your intention to implement ( by April 2022 ? ) :

Monetizing Personal Data, using Web 3.0 ? ………………………….[ 06 Dec 2021 ]

 

This will NOT require any new law. At most, an amendment to Data Protection Law


At this stage, I cannot help quote what our PM said yesterday in Virtual Summit of 100 democracies :


Delivering India’s “national statement” at the US Summit for Democracy on Friday , PM Narendra Modi called for efforts to jointly shape global norms for emerging technologies like SOCIAL MEDIA and CRYPTO-CURRENCIES , so that they are used to EMPOWER democracy, not undermine it


(https://cio.economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/government-policy/social-media-cryptocurrencies-must-empower-democracy-pm/88218554 )



with regards,

hemen parekh  / hcp@RecruitGuru.com  /  11 Dec 2021

 

 

 

 

================================================================================

Thursday, 9 December 2021

Devil is in details

 


 

Farmers have “ suspended “ their agitation after getting an official / written assurance from the Central Government to include in the “ Terms of Reference “ of the proposed Committee :


  Provision for a legally guaranteed MSP for 23 crops “


One news paper reported today :

“ Suppose the govt were to buy the marketable surplus of 23 main agri commodities grown by farmers, then the federal FOOD BILL could go up to about Rs 9 – 9.5 LAKH*CRORE

Ashok Agrawal, analyst with Comtrade, a commodities trading firm


( source : Demand for legally guaranteed MSP could put fiscal strain, experts warn / HT / 10 Dec 2021 )



I urge the Govt to incorporate following in the “ Terms of Reference “ :

Ø  MSP for each crop shall be computed, automatically using a TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM

Ø  Concurrently this technology platform shall also compute automatically, MPQ ( Maximum Purchase Quantity ) for each crop

Ø  The only INPUT to this TECHNOLOGY PLATFORM ( from the Central Govt ) , shall be :

             “ The overall FOOD BILL shall not exceed XYZ % of last year’s GDP  

Ø  Given such over-arching CONSTRAINT, platform will generate a family of MSP vs MPQ projections, for consideration and adoption by the Committee ( for each crop and for overall )

Ø  Committee will accept a particular COMBINATION ( of MSP and MPQ ) for each crop and recommend its announcement by the Union Agriculture Minister

Ø  This process will be repeated each year

Ø  Committee will have a STATUTORY standing

Ø  Besides involving an ENLARGED PARTICIPATION of all stake-holders in the process of determining MSP ( for each year ), this will ensure that the Committee feels responsible / accountable for the implications of its recommendation on the FINANCIAL HEALTH of entire country

       I urge all concerned to examine my following proposal in this regard :

       Dear Kisan Leaders / Shri Tomarji : It is time to Shake Hands  /  07 Dec 2021

 

       With regards,

Hemen parekh  /  hcp@RecruitGuru.com / 10 Dec 2021

 

CC :

All Farmer Leaders