In the month of May 2010, CSI Mumbai Chapter partnered with Nasscom to celebrate ‘Cyber Safety Week 2010’ an initiative of the Mumbai Police.

Looking at the success in organizing awareness events and activities during this week. All the participating organizations came together and met the new Police Commissioner Mr. Sanjeev Dayal and together with Mr. Vijay Mukhi and Mr. Rajiv Vaishnav of Nasscom formulated a plan for making 2010 a cyber safety year, with year long activities and celebrations.

The objective of the cyber safety initiative as I understand it is to achieve the following:

  » Awareness:
     Create an awareness of the need, importance and significance of cyber safety in the minds of all
     stakeholders - business, industry, academia, students, parents, government and the general public.

  » Education:
     Educate youngsters, working adults and senior citizens in short, people across all age groups and cross
     sections of society about the cyber threats and safety measures for securing the cyber world.

  » Promotion:
     Create a band of dedicated people who will promote and advocate cyber safety - best practices, policies
     and do’s and don’ts that will promote cyber safety.

  » Assimilation:
     Reach a state where cyber safety becomes a way of life promoting better, safer and secure technological
     environment for one and all.

To achieve this objective we have thought of implementing the following:-

i) Students: We have student chapters and activity centres in various colleges and also have a connect with schools and colleges due to our events and other activities. Events will be planned and done in these places to create awareness and have student / teacher participation.

ii) Members: We have CIO club meets and periodic member meetings and events. Some of them will be dedicated to cyber safety during the year 2010, bringing forth awareness and participation.

iii) Public: We have communication with the computing fraternity and the public through our website, newstrack and other initiatives. We will use this for cyber safety awareness wherever possible.

We are happy that our Vice-President cum President-elect Mr. M. D. Agrawal and our President Prof. Thirumurthy of CSI (HQ), Mr. V. L. Mehta our Past Regional Vice President and Chapter Chairman Mr. Rajiv Gerela are actively supporting this program.

Let us come together and join hands with other like minded organizations, professionals and the Mumbai Police to make Mumbai and the whole of India cyber safe.


Dr. Vishnu Kanhere
Chairman CSI Mumbai Chapter and Convener Interest Group on Security