Ban Ki-Moon launches Aakash 2 at UN, manufacturer plays down China link

New York: Just days after President Pranab Mukherjee launched the Aakash 2 tablet, it's now got international appeal. It has now been launched by Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon at the United Nations. There was much applause for India's innovation and what's been seen as a game changer.

Indian ambassador Hardeep Puri said, "Using the Aakash 2, children in remote schools will have access to world class facilities." The USP is the low cost, priced at $ 40 or Rs 2,200 and to be made available to an estimated 220 million students for free. But the tablet itself is not without controversy with allegations that it was sourced from Chinese companies.

Datawind CEO Suneet Tuli said, "The idea and innovation is Indian, final assembling is in India. One report says only embellishing is done in India. Ask Apple and Microsoft what that means."

The USP of the Aakash 2 tablet is the low cost, priced at $ 40 or Rs 2,200.

The ambassadors at the UN got their own tablets, according to what PR Hardeep Puri has said. Questions are being fielded on what the ideal was. Tuli said it was to tackle illiteracy and is hoping to see other countries get on board.

(For updates you can share with your friends, follow IBNLive on Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and Pinterest)