Security concerns around using internet applications made by other countries have led to India banning many popular Chinese owned software applications.
Due to the coronavirus outbreak, secure virtual communication has become a necessity all over the world.
Though there are several platforms including Zoom, Google Meet etc, the Indian Government decided to have a video conferencing app developed inside the country.
The app, Vconsol, was selected through an 'Innovation Grand Challenge' launched by the government of India.
Indian PM Narendra Modi (C), with the Chief Ministers of Indian states discussing the COVID-19 pandemic through video conferencing, New Delhi 11 August 2020. Source: AAP
Techgentsia Software Technologies, a company with merely 65 employees in Alappuzha, Kerala, emerged the winner of the challenge from nearly 2,000 competitors.
Australian Connection
It was only in April 2020, that the government of India announced the challenge under the Digital India Initiative.
''For over ten years we are in the field of video conferencing and supporting clients overseas'', says Joy Sebastian, director of Techgentsia.
"This experience helped us develop the app in a brief period, with the level of security and standards that the Indian government was looking for," he said.
Tony Thomas, who is currently an Australian permanent resident, and Joy Sebastian who lives in Alappuzha in Kerala jointly founded Techgentsia in 2009. Tony moved to Australia four years ago.
''We had a good background in developing conferencing tools. I used to look after the technical side mostly'', says Tony.
In the early days, they both operated from their homes in Kerala. They had one major overseas client initially but they felt it was not viable to move forward.
Tony, who had a dream to come to Australia, then decided to move to Sydney to work, leaving Joy to look after the business.
Techgentsia team in Alappuzha, Kerala Source: Techgentsia
"The government of India has already started using the app," Joy said.
"Security has been one of the key aspects of the software and our product passed all the tests that the Indian government had put forward."
As the app was developed for the government, several levels of security capabilities are built into the software by the developers, he added.
The company is now aiming at launching an enterprise version of the video conferencing app with several features for the general public to use with a fee.
ImageTechnical innovation to empower remote Indian villages
The Make in India projects of the Indian government give great opportunities for many even in remote villages in India.
Joy, who was born in a family of fisherman, believes that the internet could give access to education, telemedicine and other opportunities for people in remote areas in India.
He used a computer for the first time when he joined the Master Degree in Computer Applications.
''I was totally ignorant about computers until I joined my course'', he says.
''After realising the important role internet and computers can play, I have been actively involved in setting up libraries with computer facilities near coastal areas for the past few years now'', he added.
These facilities are playing a significant role, especially during the coronavirus pandemic, helping children who do not have computer access in their homes, he said.
Better internet capabilities are going to be crucial in improving the standard of living in Indian villages, and the team at Techgentsia is working on a video conferencing app that can work effectively in low bandwidth internet conditions, he added.
