KUVEMPU INTERNATIONAL SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT AND TECHNOLOGIES CENTER "KISDTC"

Kuvempu Centre for Kannada Software & Tech in Mysore

Friday, December 24, 2004 - MYSORE, DHNS:


IT usage, especially in the government will have a deep impact on the culture of Karnataka because it hits at the very root of the culture - its language.


http://www.deccanherald.com/deccanherald/dec242004/d31.asp

University of Mysore has come forward to set up a ‘Rashtrakavi Kuvempu International Centre for Kannada Software and Technology’ coinciding with Rashtrakavi Kuvempu’s Birth Centenary celebrations to develop and promote newer technologies for Kannada.

At a press conference here on Thursday, Vice-Chancellor Prof J Shashidara Prasad said the centre would identify and acquire the technologies already developed by various institutions and industries which can help the promotion of Kannada on the digital medium.

It would encourage academic institutions and industries with adequate funds to develop newer technologies for the emerging needs, and facilitate technology transfer to industries, NGOs and end users free of cost.

He said the centre would excel as a repository for Kannada software technologies. At least Rs 5 crore would be required for setting up the centre and Rs 10 crore had been sought from the Centre.

V M Kumaraswamy, CEO, Nova Group, Business and Management Consulting said Union Minister of State for Planning M V Rajashekaran has assured to support the initiative.

Mr Kumaraswamy, a US resident, said Kannada is a language with tremendous richness and antiquity and resilience with over 2,000 years of spoken and written history.

“There has been an uninterrupted growth of its literature and are in various mediums like stone and metal etchings, palm leaf inscriptions and on paper. In keeping with the modern times and technologies, the latest medium on which it has adapted itself is the computer and electronic mediums as evident in the usage of Kannada in electronic publishing, multimedia and educational content, Internet websites, and e-mails, discussion groups, e-books, government administration, word processing and office applications,” he explained.

“There are however some dark clouds hovering over Kannada in these newest electronic mediums and it faces grave danger due to some harmful developments over the past few years as a result of which, independent software developers for Kannada software have virtually been eliminated and ultimately it has reached the stage for the subservience of Kannada language to some elements,” he said.

With the independent software developers in a precarious condition and multifaceted use of computers spreading with English interface, the vast majority of Kannadigas who cannot afford to avail the facilities will be left high and dry, he opined.


It should be borne in mind that unlike the proliferation of the IT industry in State, IT usage within Karnataka and especially the government will have a deep influence and impact on the culture and heritage of Karnataka because it hits at the very root of culture, its language, Mr Kumaraswamy said.

Also the welfare of the masses is at stake when their main medium of communication is not in their language. Hence, the Centre was planned to propel the development of technologies for Kannada for its efficient use on digital mediums like computer.

Former Vice-Chancellor Dr D Jaware Gowda, Registrar N D Tiwari, and Registrar (Evaluation) Nagaraj were present.