By Varoon Rajani
We are surrounded by digital platforms. We live two lives, one life creates memories, another shares them. What was once a visionary notion is now the ‘New Normal’, thanks to technology!
Interestingly we, Indians, have already started taking help of technology in all spheres of life. Even the Indian government have entered in this disruption.
With the mission of creating a digital footprint for every individual, Indian government envisions to make high-speed digital highways, technology-based mobility, analytics, Internet of things, etc. With the emergence of the National e-Governance Plan, eSign Framework, Digital Lockers, Aadhaar, etc., the case of the transformation of ‘India’ to ‘Digital India’ is quite evident. In fact, it would be right to say that this digital disruption is a result of the technologies like analytics, social, and mobility that are enabling India’s vision of becoming a ‘Digital-First’ country.
Cloud computing is coming up as a strong backbone of the country but the biggest question is that what is so lucrative about these technologies? How are they helping the country in bringing digital transformation?
Well for starters, cloud offers flexible IT resources that make businesses model transformation without the trouble of investing in and managing a required infrastructure. Cloud computing empowers firms with high-scalability, allowing them to pay for only those resources which they use. Additionally, cloud computing reduces time with the help of agile processes.
By utilising the power of cloud computing, businesses taking benefits of a solution that truly transforms their organisation digitally, which in turn is accelerating the growth of Digital India. However, is it enough for Digital India in true sense?
According to me, companies shouldn’t see cloud computing individually. They need to look, analyze the future prospects and understand the potential of another major wave in technology that is on the way—cognitive computing. Cognitive computing represents an entirely new model of computing that includes a range of technology innovations in analytics, natural language processing, and machine learning. Imagine, what all business could do with a cloud infrastructure supporting applications that can augment human intelligence.
Banking industry is already on a roll by using cognitive systems to unlock the power of unstructured data (industry reports, investment advisory reports, financial news, etc.) using deep text and/or image/video understanding offering personalised engagement to their customers by dealing in an individual fashion with each customer and focusing on their requirements. Banks are now targeting people intelligently with the right product, increasing the chances of sales and positively impacting, both banks and customers.
A similar case of transformation using cloud can be seen in the retail industry. The use of smartphones for a majority of transactions today has led retailers to gain access to additional data and insights on spending trends, shopper history, and a lot more. Retailers are using all this information to target, sell, and influence audiences in order to fulfill their business objectives. Leaving a mall with shopping bags and getting a 20 per cent discount notification for Uber is just one such example.
The education sector is also looking at a large scale reformation using cloud technologies under the Revitalising Infrastructure and Systems in Education (RISE) scheme implemented by the government. Digitising education is imperative keeping in mind the affordability, accessibility, inclusiveness of the large trainable youth population of our country and technology is the best way to reach this diverse population at the remotest corners. Another government scheme, SWAYAM (Study Webs of Active learning for Young Aspiring Minds) which aim at making learning material available to all citizens, especially teachers and students, has become possible only because of cloud computing. MOOC (Massive Open Online Courses) platforms, NPTEL (National Programme on Technology Enhanced Learning) are already in use for promotion of higher technical education. These are further getting refined for reaching out to school children across the country as well.
With the rapid improvements in technology, as well as the higher rates of adoption, cloud computing is definitely the fuel driving us to the dream of being a digital first country. And with a two-pronged thrust from the private sector as well as the government, exciting developments await our nation.