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TECHNETRA.COM: Free Indian Language Software is Hot...
http://www.technetra.com/News/free_indian_language_software_is_hot_html
Free Indian Language Software is Hot!
Jun.22.2005
In a high profile ceremony, Smt. Sonia Gandhi, Chairman of the National
Advisory Council of India, and Thiru Dayanidhi Maran, Union Minister for
Communications and Information Technology released a free CD of software
containing Hindi language tools and fonts based on open source software
in New Delhi this week. To the rousing applause of the audience, Thiru
Maran asserted that this freely available office suite is in every way
the equal of Microsoft Office.
Hindi software tools release
Smt. Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson of the National Advisory Council, and
Thiru Dayanidhi Maran, Union Minister for Communications and Information
Technology, release free CD of Hindi software tools and fonts compiled
by the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) in New Delhi
on June 20th, 2005.
On June 20th, one of the hottest days yet this summer in New Delhi, the
Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) added a few degrees
to the temperature. In a high profile ceremony, Smt. Sonia Gandhi,
Chairperson of the National Advisory Council, C-DAC and its parent, the
Ministry for Communications & Information Technology released a software
CD package of computer tools for Hindi -- India's most spoken language.
Hindi is the second most spoken language in the world, after Chinese.
Around 500 million people speak Hindi in India and abroad, and the total
number of people who can understand the language globally is estimated
to be around 800 million.
This free CD includes a full suite of Hindi office automation tools, web
browser, email client, OCR tools and language interface facilities.
Earlier, in April, C-DAC and the Ministry had released a similar package
of computer applications, fonts and tools for the Tamil language. In the
next six months, the Ministry has announced an ambitious plan to make
this package of office applications, fonts and tools freely available in
all the 22 major Indian languages. Both Hindi and Tamil language
software is available for free download from the Indian Language Data
Centre (www.ildc.in) website.
Thiru Dayanidhi Maran, the Minister of Communications & Information
Technology, explained that the inspiration for making these tools
available to all the citizens of India originated in his observation
that other countries with similar local language requirements, like
China and Japan, were supporting their citizens with the wide
distribution of freely available computer fonts and native language
tools. The release marks a milestone in the efforts of Thiru Dayanidhi
Maran, who is also Chairman of Governing Council of C-DAC, to bring
about a language computing technology revolution in the country.
Lamp lighting by Smt. Sonia Gandhi
Lamp lighting by Smt. Sonia Gandhi, Chairperson of the National Advisory
Council, Thiru Dayanidhi Maran, Union Minister for Communications and
Information Technology, Dr. Shakeel Ahmed, Minister of State for
Communications and Information Technology at the launch ceremony of free
Hindi software tools and fonts in New Delhi on June 20th, 2005.
Mr. Maran noted that the CD includes BharateeyaOO, an Indian localized
version of OpenOffice.Org. To the rousing applause of the audience, he
asserted that this freely available office suite is in every way the
equal of (non-free) Microsoft Office.
Smt. Sonia Gandhi explained that the release of Indian language
applications, fonts and tools was another important step in the
realization of the dream to develop indigenous Indian technologies that
can help to close the digital divide and build up the capabilities of
the nation.
Also present on the dias were distinguished leaders such as Dr. Shakeel
Ahmed, Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology,
Dr. RMS Sinha, Professor, IIT Kanpur, Dr. Rajeev Sangal, Professor, IIIT
Hyderabad, Mr. Brijesh Kumar, Secretary, Department of Information
Technology and Mr. S. Ramakrishnan, Director General, C-DAC.
Smt. Sonia Gandhi personally handed the CD of free Hindi tools to
representatives from top Indian media including Aaj Tak, Times of India,
India Today, Dainik Jagran, Pioneer, Hindustan, and Punjab Kesari. Arun
Poorie of the India Today group said this release of free software tools
for the desktop in Hindi would revolutionize the news dispatch systems
across the country. Mrinal Pande of the Hindustan saw this freely
available software as a step forward in empowering disadvantaged groups,
especially Indian women, to cross the digital divide.
Contents of the free CD
1. Hindi Language True Type Fonts with Keyboard Driver
Contributors: C-DAC, Modular Infotech, Cyber Scape Multimedia,
C.K. Technologies and Softview
2. Hindi Language Multifont Keyboard Engine for True Type Fonts
Contributors: Cyber Scape Multimedia
Hindi CD cover
Free download (www.ildc.in)
3. Hindi Language Unicode Compliant Open Type Fonts
Contributors: C-DAC, Modular Infotech, Cyber Scape, CAD Graf
Digital System Ltd.
4. Hindi Language Unicode Compliant Keyboard Driver
Contributors: C-DAC
5. Generic Fonts Code and Storage Code Converter for Hindi
Contributors: Priya Infomatech
6. Hindi Language Version of Bharateeya OO.o (OpenOffice.org)
Contributors: C-DAC
7. Firefox -- Browser in Hindi
Contributors: C-DAC
8. GAIM -- Multi Protocol Messenger in Hindi
Contributors: C-DAC
9. Columba -- Email Client in Hindi
Contributors: C-DAC
10. Hindi OCR
Contributors: C-DAC
11. Aasaan Typing Tutor for Hindi & English
Contributors: C.K. Technologies
12. Integrated Word Processor
Contributors: C-DAC
13. Dictionary English-Hindi
Contributors: C-DAC
14. Hindi Language Spell Checker
Contributors: C-DAC
15. Hindi Language Transliteration Tool
Contributors: C-DAC
16. Hindi Language Text to Speech System
Contributors: IIIT, Hyderabad, Prologix
17. Translation support system from English to Hindi (Available via
the Web)
Contributors: IIT, Kanpur
18. Hindi Language Corpora (Available via the Web)
Contributors: C-DAC
