R. Ajith Kumar  Contact Information Education Area of Interest Academic and Research Major Research projects  Major Information Systems Developed  Awards and Recognitions Recent Publications  Experience    Contact Information Contact Address : IIITM-K, NILA, Technopark    : Karyavattom P.O   : Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India E-mail : ajithr [AT] iiitmk [DOT] ac [DOT] in Contact Telephone : +91 471 2700965,2700947 (Work)   Education Masters Degree in Management (MBA) and specialized in Information Systems.   Masters Degree in Information Sciences   Advanced Course on “Application of Information Technology in Information Science and Systems” from Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore  Area of Interest Information Systems  Agriculture Informatics  Database Management Systems Semantic Web and metadata, ontology management Datamining and Datawarehousing e-governance Architecture  Knowledge Management Software Project Management   Academic and Research Activities Faculty/Instructor  : Database Management Systems [ITMS2204] Faculty/Instructor : Technical Communication [ITMS2104] Associate Faculty Course Title : Application of ICT for social Sector Visiting Faculty for Agri Informatics at SAMETI - (State Agriculture Management and Extension Training Institute), under  MANAGE, Govt. of India No. of projects and masters level theses guided : 30    Major Research and consultancy projects (current projects)  KISSAN- Kerala  (www.kissankerala.net) : An integrated, multi-modal Agriculture Information Delivery System for the State of Kerala. As such, the KISSAN project has several features that put to effective use the potential and power of ICT to agriculture related knowledge empowerment and extension activities, making it the first of its kind in India. The project has become a showcase pilot model as the next generation concept in knowledge driven ICT facilitated agricultural extension services to the farmers in diversified areas like Agriculture, Animal Husbandry, Fisheries  and allied sectors  in Kerala.   The multi – modal delivery of information services is the key feature of the project, which includes web based online portal based advisory services, television based media programs,  SMS based advisory services, Online video channel to provide on-demand videos, tele-advisory services etc. Investigator : Re-designing the farmer-extension-agricultural research /education continuum in India with ICT-mediated knowledge management :   a collaborative knowledge management initiative under National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP) by ICAR. The objective is to develop various decision support systems early warning systems, media based extension support  Project partners (IIT Kanpur, IIT Bombay, ICRISAT, NAARM, GBPAUT, UASR)  visit www.akmindia.in for more details   KISSAN Krishideepam : The informative weekly television program :  A weekly agricultural based television program, produced and telecast through a leading satellite channel (Asianet) and reaches more than 30 lakhs regular viewers. (Watch every Friday at 5.30 PM, Saturday at 8 AM through Asianet Satellite Channel and monday 5.30 PM through Asianet News channel). The project has completed the production and telecast of  270 weekly episodes during the last 5.5 years. More details about krishideepam KISSAN Online Agri Video Channel (www.youtube.com/kissankerala)The first dedicated online video channel on agriculture in the country. A collaborative project with YouTube and Google India. More than 100 of high quality informative videos on agriculture and allied areas. More details    “Re-designing the farmer-extension-agricultural research\ education continuum in India with ICT-mediated knowledge management” : A collaborative project under National Agricultural Innovation Program ( NAIP), Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Govt. of India. visit www.akmindia.in for more details    Virtual University for Agricultural Trade (www.vuatkerala.org) : The Virtual University for Agricultural Trade (VUAT) a project funded by the Government of Kerala as a consortium of state and central agencies as per the recommendations of the Commission on WTO Concerns in Agriculture headed by Prof. M.S. Swaminathan. The project provides bilingual portal and provides the web based information delivery system. More details PLANSPACE (Online System for Progress Analysis and Concurrent Evaluation of State Plan Schemes). PLAN SPACE is a web based information system, which can monitor, review the periodical progress of plan projects and schemes under various departments and to make an effective reporting system and provides details of schemes by activity wise, spatial distribution and cost components wise. This is the first such system in the country where financial and physical progress of all the Departmental projects are being monitored online. More details visit  www.planspacekerala.in  Major Information Systems Conceived,  Developed and Implemented (selected list) Online Admission Management System for IIITMK : A web based information system which facilitates students registration, validation, Admit card management, Alert and selection list management of various courses of the institute. www.iiitmk.ac.in/admission Online Query Management System for KISSAN : This provides an opportunity for the farmers and others to interact with the agricultural experts. The farmers can post or ask their doubts and seek expert opinion from the agricultural experts or scientists. More than 10,000 queries have been answered and available online.  More details   Statewide Market Information System for KISSAN : The system provides an opportunity for the farmers and traders to get daily market price of their agricultural commodity from various markets across Kerala. It helps them to take suitable decisions and helps them to get better price for their commodities. More details   Online Fertilizer Recommendation System for KISSAN : A web based expert system, which provides fertilizer recommendation for any selected crops for the farmers based on the scientific test soil analysis done at various soil testing laboratories. More details    Online Planting materials/fertilizer information management system for KISSAN : Provides information to the farmers on availability of various planting materials produced at various nurseries on time to time. More details    Online Fertilizer Recommendation System for NAIP -AKM : A web based expert system, which provides fertilizer recommendation for any selected crops for the farmers across Karnataka and Uttaranchal region  More details  Online Agri video channel : provides on demand access to 100`s of telecast quality videos on agriculture and allied areas. The first such online video channel in agriculture in the country.  More details Projects Coordinated and managed during the past e-krishi : e-Krishi is a market driven Agricultural Initiative through IT enabled Agri Business Centres in Kerala State addresses the existing gap in agriculture information flow and transaction management. The project provides a web-based platform for the small and medium farmers as well as owners of large landholdings to interact with the interested buyers and various other stakeholders. Click here for more details    Awards and Recognitions  First Kerala State e-Governance Award for Kissan Kerala :  See Award Details   e-India Award 2009 for Kissan Kerala : Best ICT enabled Agriculture Initiative of the Year . See Award details    Manthan Award South Asia - 2008 for KISSAN Kerala : Design and development of integrated, multi-modal agricultural information system for Kerala - See award photos and video  more about manthan award Recipient of the IIITM-K Director's Commendation Certificate - 2008- for "outstanding Performance, high sense of responsibility, initiatives and competence, in coordinating integrated, multi-modal services delivery system for the farmers across Kerala, and leadership towards the design, deployment and commissioning- works that pave the way for many innovations in the applications of IT in Agriculture and several other projects of the institute".    PC QUEST BEST IT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE YEAR 2007 for KISSAN Kerala under "Mighty Challengers" Award category in Govt. Sector "MONSANTO Above and Beyond Award - 2001" : Winner of an International Award (Monsanto Global Technology Award) from MONSANTO Inc  for the outstanding performance. This award was given for the design,  development and implementation of a Web based scientific Gene Alert System for Monsanto. “MONSANTO GKEP Integrity Award  - 2000" for the best team player in MONSANTO Genomics Group, MONSANTO Research Centre, Bangalore, India  Recognition of  KISSAN-Kerala Project as a alliance Partner under MISSION 2007: A National Alliance lead by Prof. M.S. Swaminathan  Invitation to join as a technology partner under component - 1, National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP), Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Govt. of India Secured university third rank in Bachelor’s Degree in Information sciences   Work Experience  Information Systems Analyst  and Coordinator of Agri Informatics – at Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management – Kerala (2002 January onwards)  Information Analyst – MONSANTO Research Centre (An global giant in biotechnology and genomics Research ) at Indian Institute of Science Campus, Bangalore : Heading a team for developing various projects on information systems, database development, and knowledge management related areas. (1999-2002)