BITS AND BYTES
Net working

A web portal on ayurveda has been designed and launched by Sahil Mehta, a 4th Year student of Shaheed Udham Singh College of Engineering and Technology, Tangori, SAS Nagar.

The portal www.ayurvediccure.com lists easy-to-make home remedies for around 30 common diseases and provides for the online purchase of ayurvedic medicines. It offers exercise tips, ayurvedic cures, natural treatments, information about some common herbs and mentions the symptoms, prevention and cure of various diseases. The benefits of massage too have been stressed.

"I created this portal as I wanted to start earning as soon as possible and this will enable me to take up bulk exports of ayurvedic medicines," says Sahil. He started work on it in July this year, researched various books and websites on the topic and took the help of a friend plus online tutorials on web designing to give shape to his project.

"Since the site features in search engines like Yahoo and Google, doing work through it gives one greater accessibility to people across the globe. The opportunity of earning through it is tremendous", he elaborates.

The portal provides for online chat and consultation with a team of doctors, subscription to newsletters and discussion of topics of common interest in the Bulletin Board. Besides, there is a special section on female health problems and treatment of common ailments among children, a book store and music store.`A0

Is this going to be a full-time vocation or just an ad hoc work avenue? "I plan to take up web designing as a long-term job. My next plan is to launch a site on Indian books---somewhat on the lines of amazon.com—along with my friend," adds this enterprising youngster. —TNS

NIIT launches IT aptitude test

IN an attempt to select people with potential for the booming IT/ITeS industry, IT training major NIIT, has launched a special National IT Aptitude Test (NITAT 2004) for college students across India.

This is the 'first ever' nationwide talent hunt for IT manpower. Apart from enabling students to gauge their aptitude for the IT sector, the assessment is expected to become a yardstick for the industry to determine the competence of IT career aspirants, according to a press release issued in New Delhi last week.

The nationwide test will be conducted on September 19, 2004, in over 200 NIIT education centres across top 100 towns of the country. Candidates can register online at www.niit.com or at their nearest NIIT centres.

Unveiling the initiative, Dr. Smarajit Dey, Head of NIIT’s Education Business, said, ‘This initiative is an attempt to meet the large and growing manpower needs of the IT/ITeS industries. The reputation enjoyed by the Indian IT industry, coupled with the outsourcing needs of global companies, have led to a rapid resurgence in the IT sector. This manpower requirement will be impossible to fulfill without special effort.’ — TNS