World leaders showing interest in cheapest tablet PC Aakash: Sibal

NEW DELHI: Aakash, billed as the world's cheapest tablet PC, has evinced a lot of interest among several world leaders and international organisations like UNESCO and World Bank, HRD Minister Kapil Sibal today said.

"Several prime ministers and ministers have evinced interest in Aakash who want it for their country in thousands," he told reporters here without elaborating.

He, however, said that during his recent visit to UNESCO, the president of the general council displayed the tablet to the audience while the World Bank showed it among the board of directors.

He said the International Finance Corporation, which coordinates its activities with other institutions of the World Bank group, can also collaborate with India for improving the device.

The tablet, costing Rs 2,276, was launched on October 5 and it will be available at around half this price to students as part of government's programme to expand education through information technology.

An initial order of one lakh devices has been placed with device maker Datawind.

Sibal said phase II of the device will be much more advanced and will be available at the same price of USD 35.

"It will have much higher processor, touch screen and longer battery life," he said.

Talking about his trip to the US where he chaired the first Indo-US higher education summit, Sibal said an American delegation will be visiting India next month to carry ahead the partnership in this field.