EPIC Foundation, a not-for-profit organization, announced the launch of the first ‘Designed in India’ education tablet, in a move to enhance India’s position in high value-added manufacturing and address digital divide concerns. The tablet, developed by VVDN Technologies in collaboration with MediaTek India and CoRover.ai, features repairability and upgradability. This initiative aligns with the government’s “Mission LiFE” and aims to supply up to three lakh tablets to state governments.
Key Highlights:
- First indigenously manufactured, AI-enabled education tablet in India.
- Collaborative effort by EPIC Foundation, VVDN Technologies, MediaTek India, and CoRover.ai.
- Features include repairability, upgradability, and integration with BharatGPT.
- Targeted for supply to state governments, enhancing digital education.
- Supports the vision of sustainable electronics aligned with “Mission LiFE.”
During the launch, S. Krishnan, Secretary, MeitY, emphasized the significance of designing hardware products in India and the foundation’s role in pushing towards making India a product nation. The tablet aims to serve a vast majority of students, encouraging them to embrace design and manufacturing within India.
The initiative also highlights the electronics sector’s goals of increasing exports and value addition within the country, as stated by Krishnan. It complements the successful Large-Scale Electronics PLI program run by the Government of India.
Dr. Ajai Chowdhry, Chairman of EPIC Foundation, discussed the goal of achieving true Atmanirbharta in Indian Electronics by focusing on repairable and upgradable products. This approach addresses the issue of electronic waste and promotes job creation for repair engineers across India.
The tablet integrates the BharatGPT virtual assistant and features AI/ML-based inter-lingual translation to support India’s linguistic diversity and inclusivity. Rohit Kumar Singh, Secretary, Department of Consumer Affairs, lauded the initiative for its alignment with sustainable practices and consumer empowerment.
The MOU signed between IRIS Global and Vedavaag Systems Ltd for 12,000 tablets further demonstrates the project’s potential impact. Dr. P Raja Mohan Rao of UTL expressed optimism about participating in state government tenders for the tablet.
Ankush Sabharwal of CoRover.ai and BharatGPT highlighted the tablet’s significance in transforming educational experiences through technological innovation and sustainability. MediaTek India’s involvement ensures the tablet is equipped with powerful performance and energy efficiency, supporting domestic innovation and production.
This launch represents a collaborative effort among industry, academia, and government to promote India as a leading nation in hardware product innovation and sustainable electronics.
