Kerala launches massive AI literacy drive targeting 6 lakh parents
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Kerala Infrastructure and Technology for Education (KITE), the technical arm of the state General Education Department, has launched a massive artificial intelligence literacy drive targeting the adult population.
Titled 'Sarvam AI Mayam' (AI is Everywhere), the initiative is considered as the largest such artificial intelligence awareness programme to be implemented in the country, official sources said here on Sunday.
Under the initiative, students of the Little KITEs IT clubs will provide AI training to 6 lakh parents through the state's public schools, according to an official statement.
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The programme, which is scheduled to run until June 30, 2026, is being implemented across 2,200 Little KITEs units, with each unit training an average of 300 parents, it said.
The two-hour training module is designed to give equal importance to both the opportunities and the risks associated with AI.
According to K Anvar Sadath, CEO of KITE, the initiative begins with a simplified introduction to Machine Learning—the core technology that allows machines to process data and make decisions like humans.
To illustrate the creative power of AI, parents are shown videos where the classic paintings of Raja Ravi Varma are brought to life through animation.
The sessions focus heavily on the practical use of AI in daily life via smartphones, he explained.
"Parents are trained to use AI-powered tools to identify birds and plants or to translate signboards from other languages, such as Tamil, into Malayalam in real-time."
The training also offers hands-on experience in using AI assistants to write poems, plan travel itineraries, and generate recipes from available household ingredients.
Additionally, the module demonstrates how AI can be used for photo restoration to preserve and enhance old family photographs.
Alongside these practical benefits, the project issues vital warnings about the digital landscape's potential dangers, the official added.
The curriculum includes specific techniques for identifying AI-generated deepfake videos, forged images, and cloned voices, providing parents with the necessary precautions to avoid falling for such scams.
It also aims to build resilience against emotional misinformation and "fake news" on social media while emphasising the importance of internet etiquette.
Parents are also introduced to 'Samagra Plus Learning Room,' an AI-based educational platform developed by KITE to help them support their children's studies.
This initiative serves as a follow-up to the successful cybersecurity training provided to 400,000 parents in 2023-24, as per the statement.
Sadath noted that the training will incorporate the most recent security standards, including the IT Intermediary Amendment Rules 2026, which are set to take effect on February 20, 2026.
The ultimate goal of 'Sarvam AI Mayam' is to ensure that every citizen possesses the skills to distinguish between reality and deception in the AI era, with students leading the charge in educating their own families, the official added.
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Delhi: Father, son held for killing 19-year-old woman in suspected honour killing
New Delhi (PTI): The Delhi Police has arrested a man and his son for allegedly murdering his 19-year-old daughter in west Delhi's Hari Nagar area, an official said on Friday.
The case first came to light on April 1 after a PCR call was received around 2 pm, alleging that a woman had been killed by her family members and her body was being taken for last rites, he said.
The accused, identified as Mohammad Maneer (55), a vegetable vendor, and his son Meraj Ali (19), were arrested in connection with the case, the officer said.
The victim had been in a relationship with a man from her native place for the past two years, which was opposed by her father, Maneer and brother Meraj, he said.
"When the girl did not end the relationship despite objections, the family killed her," the officer said.
On April 1, the police said that when their team reached the spot, they found that the woman's body was being taken for burial.
Acting on the input, the burial process was stopped over suspicion of honour killing.
"Police intercepted the family members and took possession of the body," he said.
Police said that the man who had made the PCR told them that the woman was in love with his cousin.
During the inquiry, police also interacted with the PCR caller, who said his cousin, a friend of the deceased, had informed him about the situation and suspected foul play, prompting him to alert the police control room.
The body of the woman was subsequently shifted to the mortuary of Deen Dayal Upadhyay Hospital for preservation and postmortem.
Police said that both the crime team and the forensic science laboratory (FSL) team were called to inspect the scene and collect evidence.
Police said that, as per the postmortem report, the cause of death was identified as smothering, indicating that the woman was suffocated.
A preliminary inquiry also revealed that the family had initiated preparations for the last rites soon after the woman's death, raising suspicion about the circumstances.
Initial investigation pointed to the family's opposition to the woman's relationship.
"The family members of the woman saw her with the man, and she was taken back home. We got to know that she was beaten up and even locked inside the house for some days," a source said.
Further investigation into the matter is underway, police added.
