This biographical account for the sake of Knowledge will be beneficial for the young researchers on Knowmatics and Knowledge Industries. Conducting original research in a developing country like India, especially in the traditionally molded mindset of Kerala, is a challenging task. It is more challenging in convincing people around me, though the best brains like Prof. A. I. Mikhalove, father of Informatics and Prof. Abdul Salam the Nobel Laureate in Physics were there to appreciate my work. Prof. Mikhalove even nominated me as the youngest member for the 12-member FID Committee on Research on the theoretical basis of Information Science in 1983. Prof. Abdul Salam nominated my paper as the official document for reference for the World Conference on Strategies and Policies for Informatics for Development held at Rome in 1984. I was even offered very big amount to set up a Third World Center of Informatics for Development at Kerala , financed jointly by the UN and UNESCO through Intergovernmental Bureau for Informatics, Rome. I could not take up the Project for the negative stand of the Calicut University.
I had to fight a lot for the cause of my research at Calicut University where everybody looked upon me like a dangerous man, for I had been going deep in the secret of Knowledge.
My greatest support was my late wife, Dr. Santhamma Professor of Education, Calicut University. I got support from unexpected sources, including Mr. E.M.S. Nampoothiripad and Mr. E.K. Nayanar ,the two late Marxist Chief Ministers of Kerala, besides Mr. Rajive Gandhi, the late Prime Minister of India, though both the left and the right teachers associations of Calicut University (ACT and CUTA) were deadly against my work.
After leaving Calicut University in 2005, I could concentrate more on my research on Knowledge and Knowmatics. For making a major contribution, one has to face so many hurdles and personal losses, though fighting for a cause is thrilling. Now the international community has come forward to appreciate my works on Knowledge, Knowmatics, Knowledge Industry. My LinkedIn connections have extended almost all countries.
I wish that the world will make use of my works within ten years. Empowering everybody with Knowledge and developing a Unified Common System of Knowledge for making Knowledge Accessible to All are my dreams.
As an Economist, I have been fascinated in applying Economic theories or principles in Knowledge, though intangible. In 1984, I formulated Two Theories of Knowledge Consumption-Production that became the basis of Knowmatics. Explains the birth of Knowmatics, its practical business applications in Kerala, Possibilities of Kerala in Knowledge Industries have been examined Background stories have also been given starting from 1981 in which some of the players are. EMS, E. K. Nayanar, A.I. Mikhalove,K. R. Gowari,
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DR. RAJU M. MATHEW : KNOWLEDGE AND KNOWMATICS-- MY STRUGGLE FOR 30 YEARS-- A BIOGRAPHICAL ACCOUNT
1. DR. RAJU M. MATHEW
MY STRUGGLE FOR KNOWMATICS -
MASS PRODCTION AND DELIVERY
OF KNOWLEDGE
1984-2012
2. DREAMING AND WORKING FOR THE YOUNG
The only useful thing that I can do is dreaming and working for the young, the
young in Kerala and the young all over the world. That is why; I could develop a
system, technology and business model to make young rich in knowledge, as
knowledge Empowers them. This is the lesson that I learned from the
Buddha, Jesus Christ and Mohammed who empowered the marginalized with
knowledge without setting up even a nursery school.
Even in the 21st century, the humanity is very much primitive and unscientific
with regard to ‘Knowledge Consumption and Production’. Just like the primitive
hunter or the country hen or cock, everybody is searching for knowledge with
not sufficient time or energy to consume knowledge. Education, including
higher education and scientific research, is still an art of searching or seeking
knowledge rather than consuming and producing or applying knowledge.
My task is making mankind free from the burden of seeking knowledge and
making everybody consume knowledge in the form of customized
modules, packages and solutions so as to become more productive and
knowledge intensive with our System, Technology and Business Model that
have been developed with more than thirty years of research and struggle. This
is the time for Knowledge Industries rather than mere data processing or data
coding technologies or industries. I am hopeful and trusting the young.
3. BUSINESS INTERESTS IN KNOWMATICS
In connection with the Knowledge Villas Project s of the Kings
Infrastructure, Bangalore, India, its Chairman, Mr. Shaji Baby John and
Director, Mr. Baby john who are basically Engineers, got interested in
Knowmatics. After a series of prolonged discussions held at the UAE and
India, they realized the theoretical foundations, technological basis and
business possibilities of Knowmatics-based Knowledge Industries.
They agreed to take up the Project and mobilize substantial capital for
developing the core technologies, developing the system and industrial or
commercial production of ‘Knowledge Modules, Packages and Solutions’ on
a global basis, after protecting the Intellectual Property Rights of the
inventor or proponent of Knowmatics and Knowmatics based Knowledge
Industry.
For their initiative, the Prince Holdings, Dubai has come forward to make
major investment in Kerala for developing Knowmatics based Knowledge
Industries, as part of their already announced 20,000 Million Indian Rupees
investment plan. It is hoped that the Project will be launched immediately
after the ‘Emerging Kerala -2012’ event to be held at Kochi, Kerala in Sept.
2012.
4. ACADEMIC INTERESTS IN
KNOWMATICS
Though Knowmatics was originally propounded on
9th Feb. 2005 in Kerala, it got international
recognition after presenting the
paper, ‘Knowmatics- A New Revolution in Higher
Education’ for the Fourth World Universities Forum
held at Hong Kong, Jan. 14-16, 2011, that too with
the refereeing of UNESCO experts ,besides the
experts from the USA, Australia and England.
The paper was published in the Journal of the World
Universities Forum (2011) 4,1: 1-11 and was
nominated as a Finalist for the International Award
for Excellence. World Universities Forum comes
under the World Economic Forum.
5. THE EARLY INITATIVE OF THE LDF GOVERNMENT IN
KERALA FOR KNOWLEDGE INDUSTRIES
A two day national conference on ‘Knowmatics, Knowledge Industries and
Kerala’s Developmental Potentialities’ held at Calicut University on 29-30
May 2005. Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, the then President of India
contributed a paper for the conference. The newly elected LDF Government
under Mr. V. S. Achuthndan, took special interest in developing Knowledge
Industries in Kerala. Mr. P. J. Joseph, the then Minister strongly
supported the project.
The then Industries Minister, Mr. Elamaram Kareem even convened a special
meeting at Kadave Resort in June 2006 for setting a Knowledge Industry
Park. As a follow up, the Government declared to acquire nearly 140 acres
of land in Ramanattukara, Calicut to set up a Knowledge Industry Park.
However, the Government could not go forward for its inability to attract
the investors.
6. THE EARLY INITATIVE OF THE LDF GOVERNMENT IN
KERALA FOR KNOWLEDGE INDUSTRIES
A two day national conference on ‘Knowmatics, Knowledge Industries and Kerala’s
Developmental Potentialities’ held at Calicut University on 29-30 May 2005 for my
imitative Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam, the then President of India contributed a paper
for the conference.
The newly elected LDF Government under Mr. V. S. Achuthndan, took special
interest in developing Knowledge Industries in Kerala on the basis of my proposal.
Mr. P. J. Joseph, the then Minister strongly supported the project . The then
Industries Minister, Mr. Elamaram Kareem even convened a special meeting at
Kadave Resort , Calicut in June 2006 for setting up a Knowledge Industry Park. As
a follow up, the Government declared to acquire nearly 140 acres of land in
Ramanattukara, Calicut to set up a Knowledge Industry Park. However, the
Government could not go forward for its inability to attract the investors.
It is surprising to note that the first IT Policy of Kerala was made not by the UDF
Government but by the LDF Government, under Mr. E.K. Nayanar, thanks to the
special interest of Mr. P. J. Joseph, the Minister of Education in 1998 on the basis of
my proposal. The Government set up the IT Department with Ms. Aruna
Sunderarajan IAS as the Secretary directly under the Chief Minister.
7. A MISSED GOLDEN OPPORTUNITY IN INFROMATICS FOR
KERALA
On the basis of my membership in the 12 Member FID Committee having Consultative Status with
UNESCO under Prof. A. I. Mikhalove in 1983, I was invited to present a paper for the Second World
Conference on ‘Strategies and Policies for Informatics for Development. held at Rome in Aug. 1984
under Intergovernmental Bureau for Informatics (IBI), Rome, an autonomous body created by UN and
UNESCO.
My paper, ‘Transborder data flow for the Third World Countries with Special Reference to India’, on
the recommendation of Alvin Toffler, the author of the future Shock and Third Wave and Prof. Abdul
Salam, the Nobel laurite and the President of the Third World Science Academy, got the status of
‘official document for reference’ and appeared in five languages.
In the paper, I proposed a ‘Two-Way Flow Principle for Transborder Data Flow’ in favor of the Third
World Countries’ and cautioned the possibility of a’ Third World Bomb’ and also
‘Terrorism, Religious Fundamentalism and Social Suicidal Mania in Third World Countries for utter
Poverty and Backwardness and demanded for Redesigning Science and Technology for Third World
Development.
Both UN and UNESCO made over $1000 million at the disposal of IBI for developing Informatics in the
third world countries. Since I was the only contributor from India, they asked me to submit a project
proposal worth $ 25 million for setting up an Informatics Centre in Kerala through Calicut
University, Kerala Government and Government of India before Dec. 1984.
Since nobody was there to support me from the University or Government in Kerala to take up the
project in Informatics, IBI could not set up its Informatics Centre in Kerala in 1985. Had it been
established, Kerala would have been developed as the hub of Information Technology as early as
1985 when even Karnataka was not aware of the possibilities of Informatics or Information
Technology. It still hurts me. However, on the basis of some international reference, the then Prime
Minister of India , Mr. Rajive Gandhi even sent an appreciation letter and asked me to sent all my
major works in 1986; later he even suggested me to join with him. That was not materialized for the
revolt of V.P. Singh in 1987.
8. THEORETICAL FOUNDATIONS OF KNOWMATICS
When I started my career as a Lecturer in Economics in 1970 at S. D.
College, Kanjirappally, my home town, I explored the possibility of applying
Economic theories in Knowledge. To know more about ‘Knowledge’, in 1972
I joined for Library Science in Kerala University and later in Madras
University. Following the publication of my research monograph, Library
Resource Allocation, from England and the USA by the MCB University Press
(now Emerald Publication) in 1981, Prof. A. I. Mikhalove, the father of
Informatics and the Director of VINIT, USSR Academy of Sciences, took
special interest in my work applying Economic Theories to Knowledge.
In 1983, I was nominated to the 12 member FID International Committee of
Theoreticians in Information Science, as the youngest member, with Prof.
A. I. Mikhalove as the Chairman. The Committee has consultative status
with the UNESCO. Thanks to his inspiration, I propounded two basic
theories in Informatics that got published from Moscow by the USSR
Academy of Sciences in the book, ‘Theoretical Problems of Informatics’ and
my theories appeared over eight languages and came to be known as
Mathew’s Theories of Knowledge.
9. MATHEW’S THEORIES OF KNOWLEDGE AND THE
MARXIAN DIALTETICAL MATERAILISM
Immediately after the Russian version of the theories was
released, the Marxian theoreticians of the USSR found it as
an original contribution to the Marxian Dialectical
Materialism with regard to the theory of Knowledge. The
reason was that I had formulated the basic theoretical tools
to treat knowledge as a material commodity, though
intangible, for consumption and production. The theories
explain the relation between knowledge consumption and
production and different stages of knowledge growth.
Later, Psycho-linguists found them useful in their field, as
had been in the case of Cognitive Science and Knowledge
Engineering.
10. TRANSFORMING BRAIN POWER INTO
KNOWLEDGE PRODUCTS
The very philosophy behind Knowmatics -- based Knowledge Industries is to
make knowledge accessible to the entire humanity and thereby making
every social production process knowledge intensive. Knowledge has the
capacity to empower the millions when it is made accessible for application.
Knowmatics-- based Knowledge Industry aims at the massive industrial
production and marketing of diverse knowledge products in the form of
packages, modules and solutions globally at affordable cost. Live
Knowledge Banks and Mega Knowledge Corporations are to emerge soon.
Brain power and Knowledge Bases of individuals can be transformed into
Customized Knowledge Modules, Packages and Solutions not only to
Education, Practicing Professions, Scientific Research and Corporate sector
but also even to the illiterate farming communities. Kerala Brain is very
much suitable for the Knowledge Industries and Kerala can emerge as the
Hub of the Global Knowledge Industries with the support of all political
parties and other agencies.
11. THE REAL CHALLENGE
The real challenge for Kerala is not for designing the system, technology and
business model or finding the suitable people or mobilizing Capital for the multi-
billion dollar Knowledge Industries, but changing the mindset, in favor of the
Knowledge Industry, of the Politicians, Rulers, Bureaucrats, Academics or even
the common people who believe that Information Technology or Software
Development and BPO are the ultimate thing to generate income and
employment for Kerala.
Most of the IT related works do not need high intellectual or academic caliber
but mere coding or decoding skills. A truck load of Data or Information is not a
substitute for a palm full of Knowledge. Unless and until IT is redesigned for
Knowledge processing, Information Technology cannot deliver much of its
promises.. IT cannot generate unlimited income and employment opportunities
for Kerala. IT has almost reached a saturation point globally.
Knowledge Industries, of course, can make use of the existing Computer and
Communication Systems and Networks for Knowledge Processing and
Delivering Knowledge Products or Services with the support of Knowmatics.
12. RECOGNISE THE BRAIN POWER OF KERALA AND
EXPLOIT IT
Kerala is endowed with the best Brain Power , Talents and Expertise very
much suitable for the Knowmatics-based Knowledge industries.
Exploitation and marketing of the Individual and Collective Knowledge of
the people are the basis of Power, Wealth and Prosperity of the Nations.
Now we have developed the blue print for the suitable technology, system
and business model for developing Knowledge Industries. If the Government
and political parties in Kerala respect the aspiration of the young and want
to ensure better income and employment opportunities to them, the only
option is to Generate Wealth and income by Exploiting the Brain Power and
Talents of the people, especially of theYoung.
We can ensure that every household in Kerala that is connected with our
Knowledge Industry Project for Knowledge Processing, can earn at least
50,000 Indian Rupees in a month, that too working at home, using our
specially designed Knowledge Systems, Resources and Training Packages.