The Hindu Business Line : There is `e' everywhere

OF the many wonders of information technology, none is more impressive than the prominence acquired by the little unassuming letter `e'. Until about 20 years ago, books for nursery classes, had only the picture of an elephant or egg associated with it.

Nowadays, just the act of prefixing it to a verb or noun conjures up vistas of conquest of domains hitherto thought to be out of the purview of humans.

Indeed, it has become universally fashionable to prefix it with anything that catches one's fancy. Its evolution into playing a powerful and ubiquitous role has been nothing short of amazing.

The service it has been doing to humankind in combination with the word `mail' has been truly out of this world. Just imagine: Barely 20 years ago, letters by surface (but now aptly termed snail) mail from India to, say, the US, took all of 10-12 days, besides costing a considerable sum. Now within moments of sending a message by e-mail, the PC announces the arrival of the reply.

Of course, instant messenger facility, Internet telephony, net meetings and video-conferencing have made next-door neighbours of human beings spread across continents. IT-enabled e-magic is now enveloping spheres previously under the domination of conventional devices.

Books, newspapers and magazines are now published on the web.

E-shopping and e-auctions are becoming common place. E-business, e-commerce and e-finance are all becoming integral parts of e-conomy. Of course, there have been ups and downs in the degree of acceptance, reliability and achievement of the intended results of every one of these e-activities, but there is no doubt that with the constant fine-tuning that is going on, the prospect of ridding them of glitches and uncertainties is drawing near.

There is in any case no going back; on the contrary, everything touched by that little letter `e' can only gain ground and proliferate.

Nowhere will that make a profound and lasting difference than in the fields of education, health care, and governance.

Recent studies have testified to the immense range and reach of e-ducation, making it possible for aspirants to access the facility when and where needed, and in a personalised form in content and delivery, at costs which are a fraction of what is spent on buildings, class rooms, libraries and the like.

The biggest attraction is in the democratisation of learning process.

Likewise, medical consultation, diagnosis and dispensing of medicines are fast getting tailor-made to cater to the demands of Internet users who, sitting at home, and at affordable fees, can have access to treatment, at least in regard to ailments that do not call for sophisticated investigations or surgery.

E-governance is now acknowledged to be something that will enable the principal stakeholders in a democracy, the people at large, come into their own and make, initial hiccups and stickups notwithstanding, both governments and corporates SMART, that is, sensitive, moral, accountable, responsible and transparent. Thus the e-world of tomorrow may well turn out to be an e-lysium for all.

B.S. Raghavan

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