Smt. D. Purandeswari launches ‘Dreamspark’ Free Software Programme of the Microsoft for Indian Student Community
	17:49 IST

Smt. D. Purandeswari, Minister of State for Human Resource Development (Higher Education), has said that India has one additional reason for special importance to software companies like the Microsoft, which China does not have at present, and that is the largest pool of English speaking soft-ware professionals, with strong mathematical and logical skills in the country. Launching, along with Mr. Bill Gates, the ‘DreamSpark’ Free software programme of the Microsoft for the Indian Student community at IIT Delhi today, Smt. Purandeswari said that for the first time, Microsoft is giving its valuable software developer and design tools directly to students worldwide at no charge. ‘DreamSpark’ is a new initiative targeted for the students community to empower them with the 21st century employability skill by providing with software design and development tools at no charge. The programme was originally directed at College students, but now it has been expanded to include High School students. The DreamSpark program was announced by Mr. Bill Gates on February 18, 2008 during a speech at Stanford University. It is estimated that upto 35 million students will be able to access these software titles free of charge through this programme. Currently DreamSpark is planned to be launched in 11 countries and India is one among them. Following is the list of Software and design tools that is offered to the Students under the DreamSpark: Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition, Visual Studio 2008 Professional Edition, XNA Game Studio 2.0, a 12-month free Academic membership in the XNA Creators Club, Expression Studio, SQL Server 2005 Developer Edition, and Windows Server Standard Edition. The full text of Smt. D. Purandeswari’s speech is as follows: “ I deem it a proud privilege to have been invited today to participate as the Guest of Honour at this Launch of the Dreamspark Free Software Access to the Indian Student Community of the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi. The Launch has acquired a special significance with the august presence of Mr.Bill Gates (Mr. William H. Gate), the renowned founder of Microsoft which is the world’s largest software company. The company has its business interest world wide. India and China are of special interest for this US Based Company, because of their potential of the market. India has one additional reason for special importance, which China does not have at present, and that is the largest pool of English speaking soft-ware professionals, with strong mathematical and logical skills in the country. The Company has its special arrangement with India to have its share of market, both in terms of selling its product and hiring manpower for research as well as developing products in most cost-effective way. Microsoft utilizes both commercial as well as philanthropic routes to pursue its goals. The philanthropic activities, is done through a Foundation headed by Mr. Bill Gate and his wife (Bill Gate and Melinda Foundation) – which is said to be fully humanitarian in nature with no commercial interest whatsoever. The Corporation is also actively engaged in the sphere of education where it empowers the learning and teaching community world wide with employability skills relevant to the 21st century. While there are several innovative programmes for the Students, Teachers and Institutions worldwide, Microsoft India has introduced most of those programmes for the learning and teaching Communities in India also. In this endeavour, Microsoft India has empowered 2,64,000 Teachers with ICT Skills in the Primary and Secondary School sectors in India since year 2004. On behalf of the Government of India and as well as on behalf of you all and on my own behalf, I welcome Mr. Bill Gates most cordially to this special programme to-day. DreamSpark is a new initiative for the benefit of the Students Community to empower them with the most recent employability skills by providing software design and development tools at no extra charge. The programme was originally directed at college students, but now it has been expanded to include high school students also. The DreamSpark programme was announced by Mr. Bill Gates on February 18, 2008 in a speech at Stanford University. It is estimated that up to 35 million students will be able to access these software titles free of charge through this programme. Currently Dreamspark is planned to be launched in 11 countries and India is one of the major beneficiaries. Dreamspark is all about giving students Microsoft professional-level developer and design tools at no charge. The vision of this innovative programme by Microsoft is to induce the students to chase their dreams and create the next big breakthrough in technology. For the first time, Microsoft is giving its valuable software developer and design tools directly to students worldwide at no charge. Microsoft directs the student to Dreamspark website that enables them to download professional-level Microsoft developer and design tools to unlock their creative potential and set them on the path to academic and career success, by supporting and advancing their learning and skills through technical design, technology, mathematical, scientific and engineering activities. I understand that Microsoft would provide the link to Dreamspark website from Sakshat Portal, Hence the interested students who intend to get the free software will be provided a Live ID from the Sakshat Portal. I hope that the DreamSpark programme will spark students’ creativity and help them harness software’s transformative magic to turn their ideas into reality, by equipping him/her with the tools they need to succeed and excel during their academic experience and skills they will need after graduation. The name of Mr. Bill Gate or his Microsoft Company is not new to India. Both Gate and the Microsoft Corporation has a long track record of its association with our country. I may also mention that Microsoft is collaborating with the Sakshat initiative of Ministry of Human Resource Development. Sakshat is to be the portal through which all the eLearning contents generated or arranged by MHRD would be disseminated free of cost to the learning community in the country. Microsoft has offered to provide Windows Live services in Sakshat. It has also offered to link its Dreamspark initiative with Sakshat. Microsoft is also willing to collaborate with MHRD for creating 100,000 ICT champions who would be basically faculty members from higher educational institutions in the country. This would help the country to accelerate the process of eLearning revolution. Collaboration is also possible in the spheres of scholarship management, learning management systems, development of some of the course materials, certification & testing, eJournals & eBooks and sharing of best practices etc. Microsoft may also offer the services of their professionals to deliver guest lectures in colleges and other technical institutions. In the sphere of Digital Literacy also, the scope for cooperation between MHRD and Microsoft is bright. We may develop the content and devise strategies to effectively spread digital literacy among people on the other side of the digital divide within a reasonable timeframe. With these words I welcome you all once again on this momentous occasion. I think that the present venture would go a long way in grooming the future of IT professionals and identifying their talent that may be capitalized at appropriate time by Microsoft. This opportunity, if implemented and utilized properly would, I hope, be a win-win situation both for Microsoft and India.” ----------- KKP/ska