Google announces aid for Indian NGOs, institutions

SILLICON VALLEY: Google's philanthropic arm announced more than $ 25 million in grants for a wide-ranging environmental, energy and poverty combating efforts, including $ 2 million to Indian NGO 'Pratham' for an education project.

The company also announced $ 765,000 for Bangalore-based Centre for Budget and Policy Studies, $ 660,000 for Center for Policy Research, $ 1,015,000 for Institute for Finance Management & Research (IFMR) while NGO database information PRS Legislative Research will get $ 880,000.

It is part of $ 175 million the company's board pledged in 2005 to spend over three years.

When Google went public in 2004, executives pledged to donate one per cent of the company's equity and one percent of profits to philanthropy. The company's market capitalisation was nearly $ 190 billion.

"We started with an idea and a vision to make the world a better place," said Google vice president of online operations Sheryl Sandberg, a member of the Google.org board of directors.

"We now embark on trying to work with people all over the world. We realize we are a small player, but we hope to be a player that catalyzes others."

In the area of improving public services, Google.org said $ two million of the funding will go to Pratham to create an independent institute that will conduct the nationwide Annual Status of Education Report (ASER) as well as large scale assessments in the education sector.