STORY BY SATYARTH MISHRA
A Sheridan College student has been rewarded for creating a new app to help empower women.
Anshul Goyal, 22, an international student in Sheridan’s Software engineering program at Davis Campus, participated in the Global Apps to Empower contest by DataWind, India’s leading company of wireless web access products and services.
Goyal won the competition in 2013, when he designed the tablet-friendly app for women’s empowerment called “My Rights.” Sheridan president Jeff Zabudsky and DataWind CEO Suneet Singh Tuli awarded him with the $2,500 prize money on Feb. 11.
“I used to see many competitions about apps and all, but this competition really got my attention,” said Goyal. “I always wanted to do something for a social cause and that competition was the way of doing it.”
DataWind makes the tablet called Ubislate/Aakash, a $35 tablet, which is going to launch in many developing countries and “My Rights” will be preloaded in all Ubislate tablets.
“Ubislate’s new tablets are going to launch in India soon, so I am modifying my app and doing some translation work in it,” said Goyal. “A country like India, where not so many women know their rights, is where that app can help them in many ways.”
Goyal believes his app will help women access government services in India. “It is completely dedicated to women and will definitely become a good asset for women’s empowerment,” he said.
Goyal has other plans after launching his app. He wants to make an app for Canada as well and for that, he is researching the content and requirements related to Canadians. “In future, I will surely design an app for Canadian women,” said Goyal.
“It is sad that on many campuses sexual assaults are increasing nowadays and my future plans are to design an app, which would help college students to empower themselves and also be helpful in preventing such assaults.”