Join Mr Milind Deora to Discuss the ‘Future of IT & Communications’ on Google+

Mobile telephony and the Internet are impacting India’s economy, society, politics and culture in ways previously unimagined. On June 6th, 2013 Minister of State for IT, Communications and Shipping, Mr Milind Deora, will use Google+ Hangout to answer questions from people across the globe on the future of this domain.

TV anchor Cyrus Broacha will moderate the session, during which the Minister will answer questions on socio-political issues that concern the youth. The Hangout with Mr Deora will be unique in that the Minister will use the very medium whose future he will be discussing—the Internet—to connect with participants, some of whom will be tuning in from abroad. Questions for the Minister are likely to seek his views on a wide range of topics: from tower radiation to content on the Internet, from rural poverty to electoral funding. Since its launch in July 2011, the Google+ community has grown rapidly worldwide. In India, government leaders have been using Google+ Hangouts to connect and engage with citizens, including the Finance Minister, Chief Minister of Gujarat, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, Minister of Road Transport and Highways and Minister of State for Human Resource Development. Most recently, these civic engagement sessions are also being used for participative policy making, indicating the potential that the Internet has to shape democratic discourse in India.