Abstract. Ooty Radio Telescope (ORT) is being upgraded with a new programmable receiver by digitizing RF and transporting data via optical fibre to a software correlator and beamformer. In Phase 1, all 40 half modules (11m section, BW = 18 MHz) are digitized, providing a field of view of 4.6o. Phase 2 aims at a 27o field of view with 6' resolution, which will result in a vast enhancement of ORT's potential for largescale surveys, sky monitoring for transient events and space weather monitoring. We present the design, current status and initial results.