Business Today Net Special

A Messiah Called Malavalli

It may well turn out to be a new movement in education if Kumar Malavalli has it his way. Malavalli, a 56-year-old US-based NRI, is in the process of setting up two almost-free learning centres in his home state of Karnataka. Malavalli, who co-founded a storage area networking company Brocade Communication (market cap: $8 billion on the NASDAQ), will offer multi-media education at Rs 10 a month.

By Dilip Maitra

It may well turnout to be a new movement in education if Kumar Malavalli's dreams come true. Malavalli, 56-year old US-based NRI, a native of Karnataka and a successful entrepreneur who co-founded a storage area networking company Brocade Communication (market cap $8 billion on Nasdaq), is in the process of setting up two learning centres in Karnataka. Located at Bangalore and Mandya, near Bangalore, these centres will facilitate students to study their school and college subjects through multimedia, almost free of cost (Rs 10 per month). Each centre will have one server and between 15 to 20 terminals, a projector, a few printers and uninterrupted power supply systems.

The courses will be offered for all subjects and all disciplines for the students appearing for 10th standard, 12th standard, graduation and post-graduation examinations. Additionally, these centres will also provide computer and social education too. The content of the courses, which will be CD-based multimedia presentations, will be supplied by Bangalore-based Edurite Technologies, an educational content providing company.

The plan now is to launch first two centres within the next two months, perfect them through actual running and then based on this model, set up one in each of the 25 district headquarters of Karnataka. Next step is to spread out to other states in the country in a similar manner.

Says Malavalli, ''Rural India seems oblivious to technological advances happening in the cities. Our aim is to bridge this gap between urban and rural India by setting up these Centres for Learning in every district.'' But where will the money come from for this free education? Malavalli's personal net worth is close to Rs 2000 crore and he is ready to spend a huge amount for this purpose, but his plan is to rope in several other wealthy NRIs and rich Indians who want to be part of this movement. Since each centre will need about 30,000 (Rs 14 lakh) for capital expenditure and to meet the running cost, sponsors will be approached to donate the same or more.

''If we can prove that the money is being spent judiciously for a very good cause, I am sure there will be no shortage of funds,'' says Malavalli. If his efforts become the inspiration for others, surely, Indian education can get on the fast track.

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