There are many things I take for granted and some things I don't even realize I'm taking for granted - like my driver's license and my passport. There's been some buzz lately in the news about what a huge problem IDs create for people around the world. Imagine not having one - forget getting a bank account. Forget getting on a plane. Forget taking advantage of government sponsored benefits like health insurance. Nandan Nilekani is out to solve this problem in India by creating a database of what will eventually contain 1.2 billion India residents. How do you easily and efficiently create IDs for that many people, many of whom can't read or write? By scanning eye irises and fingerprints and matching these up to individual records. It may sound like Big Brother but for a mother of four living in poverty, this is now her ticket to opening up a bank account and receiving benefits from the government, both things she was never able to do before. Technology can be truly amazing and sometimes even miraculous in its ability to change the world. Absolutely wonderful!
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