Sri Lanka is characterised by rapid economic growth combined with fast
technological advancements. However, these advancements do not reach out to the entire
society. The purpose of this paper is to examine the manifestations of the internal digital divide
in the Sri Lankan tea estate context. With their particular history and socio-economic structures,
tea estate areas face serious challenges in bringing their whole population into the 21st century
where digital literacy plays a crucial role in facilitating a full participation in the society. This
study analyses the digital divide with a specific perspective on gender issues and people with
disabilities. We discuss the role of education, social-economic structures, cultures and
languages in the manifestations of the digital divide. We also examine the telecentre projects
and their role in the effort of bridging the digital divide as they provide access to the information
and communication technology (ICT) and the Internet as well as they provide training in digital
literacies. We comment on the potential of open data movement underlining the crucial role of
education and training in the process of citizen empowerment.