Technology and IT has ushered India into the new millennium in style and propelled India in to the mega leagues. Thomas Friedman's "The World is Flat" narrates the same in rather detail and some pleasure to Indian readers. It is filled with anecdotes that make some proud and some shriek. Some may debate the level of contribution, but sitting in AC rooms and running the city-life it is a reality that we acknowledge rather easily.

A friend of mine, Virgil Sequeira, recently relocated to Kalimpong. It is  a town which is significant in the recently-formed Gorkhaland Terrotorial Authority. He is innovatively teaching the locals students choral music. An interesting progress in their repertorie from playing stringed instruments to singing in harmony. The informidable Kanchengunja is visible from the school campus on clearer days. The inspiring Gandhi Ashram School has two orchestra comprising of Violin, Viola, Cello and Double Bass. 

One day, while his friends were playing on his phone, they activated the monthly internet pack instead of the daily scheme. It is not the first time that I heard of the locals activating the wrong scheme on their phones and exhausting their balance. If they had post-paid connection, they would have gone from impoverished to bankrupt. I don't know which is worse.

But what a blessing in disguise it has been from checking Facebook on the phone, it is now helping take computer lessons. With a laptop at his disposal, friends and former students of the school come to learn internet in the dormitory where he resides. The spacious dormitory turns into a comfortable classroom with several bunk beds to choose from. A coterie of interesting and ambitious high school students enter the dormitory inspired by Facebook network and Aircel connectivity. After the initial Facebook excitement tempers a little, new email IDs come for the fore. While Virgil uses Skype and attaches files to his emails to the United States, new aspects of email usage are learnt. And this is only the beginning.

Many citizens have donated their old computers to village schools across the country. It is surely the case of something better than nothing even if the programs are outdated and the OS version irrelevant. The Government has also provided several computers to its village schools but the scheme has several road blocks. 

Computer teachers are in deficiency. Where Computer teachers are available, electricity is a problem. I appreciate the Rural Electrification initiative but cables need to supply the elusive power to these villages. When electricity is available, internet is not feasible. Internet is still being seen as an high-end luxury than a tool of connectivity. 

Very few rural schools teach practical internet courses. They know how to begin the browser and just that. Many will never see the labyrinth that internet is. Several students passing the Tenth grade have learned computer in school but have never surfed the net. Not alone not collectively! They will pass only using Microsoft for typing purpose.

In such circumstances, fate has added a new vocation to my friend. From taking music lessons, he has branched out into computer classes. And beyond computers, touching lives of several students and befriending them for life. 

But there is a dire need for volunteers to tread the way to the villages to be pioneers and chart a new progress and reality. Till then, long live Virgil Sequeira!