That's what 14-year-old Devdas is putting up on his Web page at his Saturday computer class. Devdas is not your usual precocious brat. He lives in a central Mumbai slum, sells magazines to support his family, attends a hectic five days of school, learns art and drama, and, in between all these, manages to find time for his weekly dose of digital knowledge.

Computers, he says, are his "favouritest class".

Thanks to the initiatives of Mumbai-based NGO, Akanksha, 40 underprivileged children like him are learning the Internet at Nehru Science Centre's Intel-powered Cyberskool.

Sue Garland with the children   of Akanksha at Nehru   Science Center

"It's (computers) a hot topic for these students,'' says Sue Garland, a vocational manager at Akanksha. ''Ask the kids how many would like to enroll for computer class and the entire class will raise their hands."

"Today, computers are used everywhere, even in a raddiwalla's shop,'' says 12-year-old Runal. "Once I learn computers, I think I will get a good job." Shakeel pipes in: "Everyone's talking about the Internet. It makes me very proud when I say I know everything about it." According to him, the Internet comes from a huge satellite, placed behind the stars, that transmits signals.

What these kids enjoy most is learning Math, English and Science through educational software, and typing. They also love emailing, online gaming and downloading pictures. They are always curious: "Where can you see the Lagaan cricket match on the Net?" they ask.

And, like others their age, they have their cribs… from Shakeel's "It's frustrating to search for letters and not being able to spell right," to Savita's, "Web pages take forever to load. Also, I keep losing my password!"

For most kids, these classes are far more exciting than the mandatory computer classes in their regular schools. In the latter, they rarely get access to a computer, and even when they do, it is shared with another student. "We just write commands in our notebook,'' says Shashank. "Also, in school we are just learning how to paint (using a computer). We are leagues ahead here!"

Waman Sathe explaining the   intricacies of Web design

The Akanksha classes are practical and simple. "We teach them things they can use everywhere -- Word, Excel, PowerPoint, email and surfing,'' says Ashok Seth of Swift Turtle Solutions, who runs a weekly class for Akanksha students in Colaba, South Mumbai. "What surprises me is how bright these kids are. I've had Shamir, the youngest of the lot, actually teach the entire class how to operate a PC."

Ashok has an innovative way to ensure high attendance. The first half hour of the two-hour class is earmarked for online games. As a result, all the kids make it on time. He also conducts interactive sessions, quizzes, monthly recaps and typing competitions to boost retention.

He has faced his share of hurdles, though: "It's tough to explain things we take for granted - like the use of a floppy drive or hard disk - in terms they are familiar with. When I explained the concept of lists, I had to compare them to vegetable lists." But he believes that the classes will give them a good grounding for a future career. That's why Akanksha gives preference to older students, as exposure to computers and the Internet may improve their chances of landing a job.

Figuring their way in cyberspace

Kids go through a rigorous selection process - from filling in a detailed questionnaire to personal interviews. Explains Sue, "The Internet and computers need a high level of understanding and usage of English. We try and gauge each child's individual capabilities, levels of understanding and desire to learn computers."

Waman Sathe, a technical assistant at the Nehru Center who teaches the kids, says they are a fearless lot. "They ask lots of questions and are happiest when creating Web pages or painting cartoons. Besides, they are not worried about deleting anything." Teaching the kids is a challenging and enjoyable experience for Sathe. "It's a pleasure to see their amazement when they visit educational sites like NASA, Navneet and Intel, or when they open email accounts. They enjoy searching for pictures and cartoons for projects. What's different from teaching regular students is that these kids are all on different levels. It's challenging to give them personal attention and bring them to the same level."

All the students put computer classes second on their priority list, after daily school. But not everyone can afford the time. Next year, Savita, one of five girls in the batch, will have to give up her computer lessons to make time for board exams and household chores. Right now, though, she's happy with her personal achievement of emailing Pooja Bhatt, the actress who visited the Akanksha center recently.