<div dir="ltr"><div style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;outline:0px;font-size:14px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;color:rgb(102,102,102);font-family:"Open Sans",Arial,sans-serif"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lijUUWJa7g" style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;outline:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background:transparent;color:rgb(46,163,242);text-decoration-line:none"><img class="gmail-wp-image-6374 gmail-alignright" src="https://codata.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/data-democratization-1024x340.png" alt="" width="500" height="166" style="box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0px 0px 0px 15px; padding: 0px; border: 0px; outline: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline; background: transparent; max-width: 100%; height: auto; float: right; display: inline;"></a>What is ‘data democratisation’, what benefits does it bring, and what are the challenges on the road to data democracy?  On 20 June 2021, Dr Neeta Verma, the Director-General of the National Informatics Centre of India, set out her vision for the democratisation of data.</div><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px 0px 1em;border:0px;outline:0px;font-size:14px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;color:rgb(102,102,102);font-family:"Open Sans",Arial,sans-serif">Dr Verma specified that by the democratisation of data, she means both improved <u style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;outline:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background:transparent">access</u> to, and <u style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;outline:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background:transparent">understanding</u> of, research and government data resources.  Dr Verma provided a compelling version of the enormous scale of data being generated in the Indian context and its potential for research, enterprise and social good.  She noted the current multiple impediments and barriers to data democratisation in India today: data resources commonly lie in silos, often in different IT systems, where they may have inconsistency in formats, definitions, and schemas.  There is a need for seamless access by individuals via accessible platforms to bring together these resources for analysis.</p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px 0px 1em;border:0px;outline:0px;font-size:14px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;color:rgb(102,102,102);font-family:"Open Sans",Arial,sans-serif">Data democratisation also means removal of barriers to understanding data resources. Metadata description is important to promote description and help avoid misinterpretation.  Further, Dr Verma argued, everyone ought to develop at least basic data analytics skills, to improve the accurate use and reuse of data in government, business and research.</p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px 0px 1em;border:0px;outline:0px;font-size:14px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;color:rgb(102,102,102);font-family:"Open Sans",Arial,sans-serif">Practical steps that can be taken to progress along the road to data democratisation were explained, including the role of policies for data sharing and access, and how they should encourage sharing by dealing clearly with privacy, ethics and security measures where necessary. As a powerful example of progress, Dr Verma also described the Indian national open government data portal, <a href="https://data.gov.in/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;outline:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background:transparent;color:rgb(46,163,242);text-decoration-line:none">https://data.gov.in/</a>, which has been developed to stimulate simple access for citizens to a large range of data resources, whilst giving providers – including government – the ability to stipulate access and use conditions.</p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px 0px 1em;border:0px;outline:0px;font-size:14px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;color:rgb(102,102,102);font-family:"Open Sans",Arial,sans-serif">Our speaker concluded by reminding the audience that if we start opening our own data, that can become a big game changer, and when open data is supported through policy, governance and easy access to analytics, data can help us by being leveraged for social good, helping enterprises and the country to grow and meet its sustainable development goals.</p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px 0px 1em;border:0px;outline:0px;font-size:14px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;color:rgb(102,102,102);font-family:"Open Sans",Arial,sans-serif">If you missed the live event, a video of the talk is available at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lijUUWJa7g" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;outline:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background:transparent;color:rgb(46,163,242);text-decoration-line:none">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1lijUUWJa7g</a>.</p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;outline:0px;font-size:14px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;color:rgb(102,102,102);font-family:"Open Sans",Arial,sans-serif">This talk was presented by the Pune Knowledge Cluster, the Indian National Science Academy and <a href="https://codata.org/india/" target="_blank" rel="noopener" style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;outline:0px;vertical-align:baseline;background:transparent;color:rgb(46,163,242);text-decoration-line:none">the CODATA India National Committee</a></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;outline:0px;font-size:14px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;color:rgb(102,102,102);font-family:"Open Sans",Arial,sans-serif"><br></p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;outline:0px;font-size:14px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;color:rgb(102,102,102);font-family:"Open Sans",Arial,sans-serif">Thanks,</p><p style="box-sizing:border-box;margin:0px;padding:0px;border:0px;outline:0px;font-size:14px;vertical-align:baseline;background-image:initial;background-position:initial;background-size:initial;background-repeat:initial;background-origin:initial;background-clip:initial;color:rgb(102,102,102);font-family:"Open Sans",Arial,sans-serif">Asha</p><div><br></div>--<div style="color:rgb(0,0,0)">___________________________<br></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"><div><br></div><div><b>LAST CHANCE TO APPLY: CODATA-RDA Research Data Science Summer School 2021, 6 Sept-5 Nov 2021:</b> <a href="https://codata.org/applications-open-codata-rda-research-data-science-summer-school-2021-6-september-5-november-2021-deadline-27-july-2021/" target="_blank">deadline 27 July</a></div><div><b><br></b></div><b>Global Open Science Cloud Initiative:</b> <a href="https://codata.org/initiatives/strategic-programme/global-open-science-cloud/gosc-introduction-event/" target="_blank">introduction event</a> and <a href="https://codata.org/initiatives/strategic-programme/global-open-science-cloud/sign-up-for-gosc-groups-and-studies/" target="_blank">sign up for WGs and Case studies</a></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"><br></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"><b>1st International Forum on Big Data for Sustainable Development Goals: </b><a href="https://codata.org/1st-international-forum-on-big-data-for-sustainable-development-goals-6-8-september-2021/" target="_blank">6-8 September 2021</a><br><br><div><b>CODATA Connect-Data Science Journal Early Career Essay Competition:</b> <a href="https://codata.org/an-invitation-to-take-part-in-the-codata-connect-data-science-journal-early-career-essay-competition/" target="_blank">deadline 31 August</a></div><div><br></div><div><b>Call for Proposals to Host International Data Week 2025: </b><a href="https://codata.org/call-for-applications-to-host-international-data-week-2025/" target="_blank">deadline 30 September 2020</a></div><div><br></div><div><a href="https://codata.org/may-2021-publications-in-the-data-science-journal/" target="_blank"><b>May 2021 publications</b></a> in the <a href="https://datascience.codata.org/" target="_blank">CODATA Data Science Journal</a></div></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"><div><br></div><div><b>Stay in touch with CODATA:</b></div><div></div><div><br></div><div>Stay up to date with CODATA activities: <a href="http://lists.codata.org/mailman/listinfo/codata-international_lists.codata.org" target="_blank">join the CODATA International News list</a></div><div><br></div><div>Looking for training and career opportunities in data science and data stewardship?  <a href="http://lists.codata.org/mailman/listinfo/data_science_training_lists.codata.org" target="_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