Education remains the key to both economic and political empowerment.
Never underestimate the power of a shoe.
And with iPods and iPads, and Xboxes and PlayStations - none of which I know how to work - information becomes a distraction, a diversion, a form of entertainment, rather than a tool of empowerment, rather than the means of emancipation.
At this point in my life - age 24 - I have chosen a fairly strange path that not many are walking. I am a professional spoken word poet who tours the world performing and teaching. I run an organization called Project VOICE dedicated to using this art form as an education and empowerment tool in schools and communities of all kinds.
High heels empower women in a way.
I use my voice as an instrument.
I see the role of IT as a change agent. It empowers, connects and can bind isolated parts of India and create harmony. IT can join people with governments, bridge the gap between demand and supply, and can bring us closer to knowledge.