Two brothers from a village in Ramanagara district have turned the entire hamlet into a free Wi-Fi hub, providing uninterrupted internet access to students attending online classes in the time of pandemic.
The motivation came a few months ago when Mahesh Mathrubhoomi and Harish Kumar were visiting their village Chikkenahalli, about 11 km from Channapatna.
As educational institutions remained closed due to Covid-19, the government had started various online education channels. The brothers observed that over 180 school and college students couldn’t access such systems due to the absence of internet connection. The few who had connection were struggling with network issues. “Not all the children were in a position to use parents’ mobile data or get a private Wi-Fi connection. Their struggle inspired us,” Mahesh told DH.
After two months of toil and Rs 3 lakh out of their own pocket, the duo managed to lay an optical fibre cable from Channapatna to Chikkenahalli.
The fruits of their labour were realised four days ago. Since then, the children are attending classes without disruption. The village has 2,000 houses and all residents are enjoying the benefits. The hotspots have been set up considering the convenience of students.
“We instructed the company to block sites that are not necessary for students, including those related to adult entertainment,” said Mahesh.
The brothers run an NGO called Mathrubhoomi Seva Foundation.
Deccan Herald is on WhatsApp Channels| Join now for Breaking News & Editor's Picks