Media Labs center in Asia to come up in Mumbai

NEW DELHI: India's cabinet approved an Information Technology ministry

proposal to set up a media laboratory in collaboration with the Massachusetts

Institute of Technology (MIT), on Thursday.

The lab will be an Asian version of the technology incubator, said cabinet

spokesman and Information Technology minister Pramod Mahajan. The government

would provide Rs 650 million in the first year for the project that is geared

towards helping the region and develop its technological capabilities.

The media lab project, costing Rs 51.28 billion ($1.09 billion), would be

implemented over a 10-year period. "Media Lab Asia in coordination with

Media Lab, MIT, would raise more than 80 per cent of the total outlay from

industry sponsors and other sources," Mahajan said. He said the Information

Technology ministry would provide Rs 8.70 billion as a grant. The funding far

exceeds the amount spent by MIT's Media Lab in Boston that has an annual budget

of $35 million to $40 million.

The Media Lab, MIT, had said in February that India had "tremendous

potential in terms of human intellect and human resources". The lab, which

has developed innovative technology products such as interactive toys and

"wearable computers" - computers embedded in clothes - said an

incubator could further spur entrepreneurship and address issues such as

literacy and medical care.

More than 170 corporations, including Microsoft Corp. and Compaq Computer

Corp., periodically participate in Media Lab programs at MIT, where they work

with faculty, research staff and students.

(C) Reuters Limited 2001.