After the mobile phones hit rural Bengal, it is now the turn of Low-cost lamps to brighten the future of rural India.

The initiative is powered by the Grameen Surya Bijli Foundation (GSBF), a Bombay-based nongovernmental organization focused on bringing light to rural India. The lamps use LEDs - light emitting diodes, powered by solar energy, and cost only $55 for one time installation.

Other advantages include zero air pollution as opposed to the conventional kerosene which is highly pollutive. - A recent report by the Intermediate Technology Development Group suggests that indoor air pollution from such lighting media results in 1.6 million deaths worldwide every year.

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The Grameen Sanchar Sewak (GSS) scheme, kickstarted by BSNL and the Department of Posts in 2002, is ready to be regularised and go national, after a resounding triumph in West Bengal. The catalyst: Grameen Sanchar Society (Grasso), a non-governmental organisation.

GSS originally seeked to provide rural mobile services to farflung rural areas by employing rural postmen to carry the mobile phones from door-to-door. Logistical issues forced them to do a rethink and shift to Grasso, which tapped into its 7000-strong network of self-employed people to carry phones into the rural heartland.

"In Bengal’s village haats, vegetable and fish sellers are carrying the BSNL mobile phones around and letting people make calls," says Nilotpal Basu who runs the NGO.

Repeated intelligence warnings about terror striking India's tech havens have finally come true.

Suspected terrorists opened fire at a gathering of scientists at the prestigious Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore. Munish Chandra Puri, professor at the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi died immidiately and four others were injured. The injured includes Professor Vijay Chandru who was involved in developing the Simputer, the low cost Linux-based handheld.

Read more at DNAIndia and WebIndia123.

Emperor Ashoka by the mobile-phone games maker IndiaGames might be the first title by an Indian company to foray into the multi-billion dollar pc gaming market.

The game features goddess kali.: With multiple limbs and each hand wielding a different weapon, the fearsome Indian warrior-goddess Kali is a natural video-game character. And next year, Kali will be coming to game consoles, PCs, and mobile phones around the globe.

BusinessWeek reports on how the Mumbai based IndiaGames is taking shots at the gaming market with its Indian-themed games.

Rediff is running a story about upcoming foreign direct investments in technology and manufacturing sectors.

From software giant Microsoft to telecom biggies Nokia and Samsung to auto majors Honda and Toyota, global players now eye India as the most attractive destination for investment.

In the running are Microsoft, Intel, AMD, Cisco, BMW, Toyota, Fiat, Nokia, LG, Samsung and Motorola.