NRC reveals Winners of Bhasha 2011 Design Competition
Nokia Research Centre (NRC) has announced the winners of Bhasha 2011 Design Competition. "Kaccha Limbu" concept from Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology, Bangalore emerged the winner, while Pitara's concept from Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology, Bangalore was awarded the runner-up place. The third spot was shared by "Vijeta" concept from IIT, Kanpur and "Word of Snake" concept from National Institute of Design. Bhasha 2011 was held to identify ideas and designs that will encourage the use of the Indian languages on mobile phones, making users more literate in their native language through casual learning.
The winning team was awarded INR200,000 and runner up received INR150,000. Both the teams at the third spot received INR100,000 each as prize money. Additionally, two teams from Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology, Bangalore and IIT, Kanpur were nominated for the "Developers Choice" award, offering them the opportunity to connect with developers and collaborate with them to realize their ideas into actual products.
Younghee Jung, Research Leader, Nokia Research Centre, said, "Nokia has always been committed to shaping mobile experiences of Indian consumers by enabling them to do more. In a country like India with infrastructure challenges and low broadband penetration, mobile is the most viable medium to deliver services to people whether its information, education, banking or anything else. While the proliferation of mobile telephony has reached critical mass in India, consumption of services amongst non-urban and rural consumers remains a challenge due to language. The aim of Project Bhasha was to address this challenge by engaging the best young design minds in India and developing real workable concepts. We received some great designs and ideas and it was a difficult decision to arrive at the winner teams."
The competition began in January 2011 and was open for all students from top four institutes - IIT-Kanpur, National Institute of Design (Ahmedabad, Gandhinagar, Bangalore), Srishti School of Art, Design and Technology, Bangalore and Symbiosis Institute of Design, Pune. It received an overwhelming response with over 50 student teams sending in their entries. Several rounds of review sessions were held between the teams and faculty at the institutes together with mentors from Nokia before final submission presentation were made by the teams on the campus to a jury comprising of Faculty and Nokia. Nine finalist entries were selected for the final round in Bangalore, where teams presented to jury comprising Sugata Mitra, Professor of Educational Technology, Newcastle University; Mahendra Patel, ex-National Institute of Design, Ahmedabad; and Younghee Jung, Research Leader, Nokia Research Centre.
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