Now, Aakash for all: UbiSlate at ₹2,999

Gadget maker Datawind on Thursday announced the commercial launch of the world’s cheapest tablet PC in India — priced at ₹2,999. Vivek Sinha reports.

Gadget maker Datawind on Thursday announced the commercial launch of the world's cheapest tablet PC in India — priced at ₹2,999. The launch enables the firm to offer its tablet PC under the "UbiSlate" brand to general customers, outside the ambit of the 100,000 customised units ordered by the human resources minsitry for distribution to students under the brand name 'Aakash'.

Datawind seemed determined to bury the ghosts of "needless" controversy that emerged soon after it bagged the much-hyped order from HRD ministry. The company said entire procurement of Aakash has now moved over to IIT Bombay after IIT Rajasthan imposed unreasonable conditions — with retrospective effect — to procure Aakash tablets.

"We are committed to providing one lakh Aakash tablets to ministry of HRD," Suneet Singh Tuli, chief executive officer, Datawind told HT. "Today's launch is to announce that we are honouring the bookings made by our other retail customers across India."