South Asia region is one fifth of the world population and 40% of the Asian population with almost 70% of the residents living in rural areas. Internet made its entry in the region during mid-90s, total number of internet users have reached to 85 million though the overall penetration is still under 10%. The region is also quite diverse in cultural and social values.
The emergence of new media and social media platforms has pushed traditional media to the fringes. The characteristics of social media are dependent on 3Cs (Connectedness; Collaborate; Community).
Digital outreach medium and Social Media platforms like Facebook, twitter, YouTube, blogs, Google hangout, Flickr, Foursquare etc. are playing a critical role by involving millions of people in real time. Social media is the illustrious & most potent democratic tool of empowerment, promotion, participation, commerce, cause, campaign, activism, among others.
In an effort to identify how social media platforms have been utilized for their campaign-and-cause based programmes, Digital Empowerment Foundation initiated Social Media and Empowerment as a special Sub-award of the Manthan Asia Pacific Award to honor and recognize how social media can be used as a catalyst for communication, spreading awareness and fulfilling their mission and needs.

Mission
The mission of the Manthan Award for Social Media & Empowerment is to explore, analyze & honor the best ideas in India who are using Social Media platform very effectively to meet their mission and needs. This award will showcase the best initiative for the broad range of digital media.

Objectives
1 To recognize the best Social Media initiatives & create a pool of huge innovation on Social Media platform
2 Promote the spirit of Innovation & Creativity in Social Media domain
3 Building an Ecosystem of Social Media to enable nominees to share their thoughts, exchange ideas on a single platform of Manthan Award for Social Media & Empowerment 2013
4 To provide a wider forum for Networking and strategic alliances
5 Engagement by participants who can create, comment or lurk on social media networks
6 Encourage all sectors to become involved in the Social Media & in the Digital Economy