GERARD DE SOUZA
If you enjoyed reading this article, you can help support our journalism by adding OHeraldo as a preferred source.
PANJIM: They come in all shapes and sizes — some healthy, some slim, some graceful, others bobbling, clean shaven, unshaven and or even mis-shaven and dishevelled but they all have one thing in common — the will to do.
Nowhere has such energy and enthusiasm been evident than the second edition of Goa Bar Camp, held at the Centre for Innovation and Business Acceleration at Fr Agnel Campus in Verna.
Be it in drawing up solutions to India’s rural health problems proposed by a student from Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Goa Campus, Gaurav Jha or ‘ethical’ hacking online payment gateways to get themselves free stuff home delivered from online stores, the message they’re sending is clear — the geeks are going to rule the world, and very soon.
I’m not sure if, I’m going to be exalted or pummelled for using the term ‘geek’ for software developers, hackers, entrepreneurs, and in general people who come up with solutions be it for online security or for easier ways to for governments to govern, given that the term has a ‘socially inept’ connotation,
With an average age of 23 and that a great many of them being born and bred in Goa, they will amaze you. And here’s why.
Antriksh Shah is in his mid 20s. To his credit he has successfully downloaded otherwise paid apps for free on an iPhone by ‘hacking’ their payment gateway. Besides, having an online security company that analyses the online security of various companies including those that deal with cash transfers, he can converse about anything ranging from how to breach security of electricity grids to that of tracking down cyber crime.
Gaurav Jha, is all of a student at the BITS Pilani. As part of his academic curriculum, he drew up a whole range of solutions to India’s Rural Health programme using simple technological solutions and existing infrastructure that he will now present at Harvard University.
It is guys like Jha and Shah that got together along with others to share ideas, plans, proposals and in general to meet up in real life, many for the first time. And what better forum than the BarCamp.
As defined by Wikipedia, a BarCamp is an international network of user-generated conferences (or unconferences) primarily focused around technology and the Web. They are open, participatory workshop-events, the content of which is provided by participants.
According to Prajyot Mainkar Barcamp Goa 2013 was planned to unite people from Goa ranging from various fields of interest including Art, Science, Technology and Social Media.
“We aim to ensure efforts to bring people together for a better Goa ~may it be using social media in right ways or understanding formats of Arts in Goa. Our sessions were Goa Centric with approach to grow user interests in Goa. The Barcamp Goa 2013 was organized by Goa Android User Group (GDG GAUG) comprising team members Arya Padte and Jonathan Pereira,” Mainkar said.
