1. Promoting ICT amongst youngsters - My thoughts and experiences Ajay Puri

2. At the age of 9 months my grandfather taught me how to type alphabets on computer. This was just the beginning of my entry into software arena and lead me to where I am today. I very much feel that Grandparents and parents have lot of influence on children’s future. How I started in Computers? Experiences

3. A number of educational CDs with entertainment based learning kept me interested. E.g. Jump Start I was permitted to play with a number of gadgets by my family irrespective of my tender age (hands on learning). e.g. printers, scanners, computer, video My elders spent hours with me patiently at what I did, which I feel was not very interesting for them. How I got interested in Computers? Experiences Gadgets that I was allowed to use at 2 years of age as toys

4. I was inspired by the love I got Experiences

5. How Other Kids Can be better than Me ??? Guidance & Encouragement Infrastructure Hard Work Lots of Blessings

7. Computer should lead school education Thoughts When I get my school assignment, I search the Internet and am able to learn much more than what the assignment required? e.g. One night my father and uncle were discussing about Prophecies of Nostradamus, I got up the next morning and searched the Internet. I was surprised to find that he has predicted World War III. I feel, age is not a barrier to learning. e.g. My father while carrying out his MBA studies asked me to get some information about Dreamworks and Pixar Studio merging. I was happy to be able to find information that even I understood. Once I suggested Microsoft to develop some products like MS- Office for use by kids. I don’t say that the present Office is beyond kids but I feel the product should be so attractive that every kid is interested.

8. Media Based Learning CHILDREN MASTER COMPUTER SKILLS AT A VERY EARLY STAGE AND OFTEN BETTER THAN ELDERS !! WE NEED MEDIA BASED LEARNING AND MUCH LESS CLASS ROOM OR BUILDING BASED EDUCATION. ICT IS THE ONLY MEANS TO REACH THIS GOAL

9. TODAY CHILDREN SPEAK THE LANGUAGE OF HIGH- TECH AS THEIR MOTHER TONGUE WHERE AS OLDER PEOPLE ARE “IMMIGRANTS” IN THE LAND OF IT TECHNOLOGY. SO THE ICT TORCH MUST BE IN THE HANDS OF YOUNGSTERS.

10. YOUNGSTERS ARE SERVING AS HELPDESK FOR THE COMMUNITY THROUGH THE SUPPORT OF ICT

11. I felt sad Thoughts When I visited schools and saw that the computer tools used were outdated or slow. I get very impatient when the speed of internet is slow even though I am very lucky. When I see that some of the parents feel that the electronic equipments are too expensive to be given to kids Some of the softwares are very boring and my father tells me it is very expensive Some of the students that I was placed with in India were very talented in other fields, may be even better than me but did not receive the recognition that I was lucky to have. I appeal “Please create opportunities for them as well, create platforms / organisations that recognize them

12. “I have and will always remain committed to the cause of spreading ICT education. I am a learner myself, but would love to share my knowledge with fellow kids.”

13. I will always seek your blessings and good wishes to achieve greater heights. web site http://www.microsoftkid.comhttp://www.microsoftkid.com Email : ajay@microsoftkid.com