eNews
Kerala becomes first Indian state to declare access to Internet a human right
NEW DELHI: With internet access being declared as a human right, the Kerala government feels nobody in a country rapidly heading towards hassle-free governance and a cashless economy should be at pains to acquire internet connectivity.
In the state budget presented recently, the CPI(M)-led government earmarked a special fund aimed at providing Internet connections to two million families either at subsidised rates or completely free of cost.
The state plans to install a new high-speed optical fibre network called K-Fon which will run parallel to the existing electricity board network. “If everything goes well, almost all governmental transactions will be available online by 2018. So, we have to equip all the citizens to meet this standard,” Finance Minister Thomas Issac said.
High-speed internet connectivity is a basic right in most developed nations. In 2010, Sweden became the first country to make broadband Internet a legal right for every citizen. Canada followed suit last year, ensuring that every resident was entitled to Internet access at a minimum speed of 50 Mbps.
Kerala plans to launch a big campaign on the lines of its ambitious e-literacy programme – Akshaya – to empower those deprived of Internet connectivity.
Launching a literacy campaign in the early 2000s, Kerala quickly rose to become India’s most e-literate state by 2016-end.
Isaac said the new firm will be floated with the help of the state electricity board to oversee the revolutionary scheme. “First we have to ensure that adequate infrastructure is put in place. We will take a Rs 10 billion loan from the Kerala Infrastructure Development Fund Board for the purpose. After that, we will speak to telecom providers in this regard,” he said.
The government plans to provide free Internet connections to people from economically backward sections, and at subsidised rates to others. “We hope to achieve 100% connectivity in a year’s time. At least one person of a family will be given access initially,” the finance minister claimed.
A tribal settlement in Malappuram was declared as the country’s first digital tribal colony last December. The district administration achieved this by training 100-odd families in carrying out cashless transactions.
In 2016, the United Nations said depriving people of Internet connectivity was a human rights violation running contrary to international law.
Internet connectivity is a human right in Sweden, Costa Rica, Finland, France, Greece, Spain, Estonia and Canada.
According to a study conducted by Committee to Protect Journalists, the worst violator of this ‘right’ is North Korea (where only 4 per cent of the population have Internet access) – followed by Myanmar, Cuba, Saudi Arabia, Syria, China and Pakistan. India ranks at 47.
eNews
Piyush Thakur steps down as Inshorts’ chief revenue officer
Former vice president and cro says exit marks a new chapter after close to a decade of building revenue and partnerships at Inshorts Group.
NOIDA: Piyush Thakur has stepped away from Inshorts Group after nearly 10 years with the company, marking the end of a long tenure that culminated in his role as chief revenue officer.
In a farewell note, Thakur said he was “turning a new page” after almost a decade at Inshorts, calling it one of the hardest professional decisions he has made. He added that his exit was not driven by uncertainty about the future, but by reflection on a long association with the company.
Thakur joined Inshorts in October 2016 as vice president and spent around seven years in the role before being elevated to chief revenue officer in April 2024, a position he held until April 2026.
He said his tenure was defined by “thousands of mornings, late nights, product debates and breakthrough moments”, as the company evolved into a large-scale digital news platform used by millions.
In his note, Thakur emphasised that Inshorts’ growth was a collective effort across teams, adding that engineers, designers, sales teams and customer support staff all contributed to building the platform. He said the company’s success was not the result of individuals but of “everyone who stayed, passed through, and left their mark”.
Before Inshorts, Thakur worked across several digital media and business development roles. At ESPN, he served as senior regional manager from October 2015 to October 2016, focusing on growth initiatives, strategic opportunities and video distribution.
At Times Internet, he worked for nearly three years, including as head of business development from April 2015 to September 2015 and chief manager from January 2013 to March 2015. His responsibilities included monetisation of mobile platforms, managing media and developer partnerships, and driving revenue across digital properties such as The Times of India and The Economic Times.
Earlier, he worked at Brandmovers as head of business development from June 2012 to June 2013, handling digital, mobile and social media marketing solutions, client development and strategic consulting. During this period, he also worked on advertising revenue, brand strategy and CRM-based solutions.
At Inshorts, Thakur’s role focused on revenue strategy, mobile and media partnerships, and growth initiatives across platforms. His profile highlights experience in mobile product management, digital business models, partner ecosystems and revenue expansion in high-growth environments.
