PUNARBHAVA – a renewed becoming

by iridiumInteractive
May 28, 2008
in Company News, Education, iridium Interactive News, Non Profit Organizations, Web accessibility
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Punarbhava Logo Punarbhava is a Pali word for “renewed becoming”. It refers to the process of rebirth after death and is synonymous with samsara. Rebirth in Buddhism does not mean reincarnation, in the sense of an eternal, separate soul transferring to a new body. Rather it is the continuation of the psyche with its conditioning and habits. Each rebirth is a new life.

In keeping with this, an eponymous portal for the differently abled community has been launched in India – developed by iridium Interactive, on behalf of Media Lab Asia, a unit of the Indian Department of Information Technology, and the Rehabilitation Council of India (RCI), a federal body dealing with rehabilitation of the disabled.

The first phase of the portal, http://www.punarbhava was launched in March 2008 by Smt. Meira Kumar Hon’ble Union Minister for Social Justice & Empowerment and Dr. Shakeel Ahmed Hon’ble Minister of State for Communications & Information Technology.

Punarbhava is an excellent example of the efficient use of ICT and the web medium for the betterment of the differently-abled.

The aim of Punarbhava is to create and run a comprehensive Internet Portal, which collects specialised information and useful services for all the people involved in the disability issue as an information database, sources of daily updated news and media for the development of the disability and rehabilitation sector in India.

There will be an array of resources like films documentaries, list of publications and institutions for users to download a repository of books in text, audio and multimedia mode. Not only that in schools where computer based printing system is available the text in language script or Braille script can be printed locally. Users could also access a complete database on NGOs working in the field of disability in India and network with sponsors for financing projects for the welfare of the disabled.. The user can view and even download all government orders, laws, circulars related to disability and disability certificate form. Not just this, the disabled-friendly texts in audio, video and multimedia mode will be cataloged and stored in web format for easy download.Besides, a dedicated section will be available for information on professional personnel and students being trained as specialists to deal with disability related issues. Currently there are 30000 such professionals in the country and an estimated 5,000 persons register themselves for fresh training every year. A closed user group would be launched to unite them and other stakeholders.