Domain names in Indian languages a reality now!

Network Solutions has launched the facility to register multi-lingual domain names in nine Indian languages

Domain names in Indian languages are a reality now. VeriSign yesterday announced that its domain name registrar Network Solutions would accept domain name registrations in nine Indian languages: Bengali, Gujarat, Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Oriya, Punjabi (Gurmukhi), Tamil and Telugu.

Stating the benefits of the multi-lingual domains, Arthur Chang, managing director, Asia-Pacific, VeriSign, said "Currently India ranks third in Asia-Pacific domain name registration. The launch of domain name registration services in nine Indian languages is an attempt to take the Internet to the people in India. By breaking through the language barriers small and medium enterprises and individuals can be a part of the global marketplace and conduct business online in their own languages."

According to IDC estimates, there were 4.47 million Internet users in India at the end of 2000. The company expects the figures to grow to 7.27 million in 2001 and 37.59 million by 2005. Going by this figure, India will own the second largest Internet population in the Asia Pacific region. And half of the Internet user population's interface with the web will be in local languages.

"We believe that the growth of the Internet will be through Internet cable TV. There are 38 million cable connections across the country at present. The numbers will significantly grow in the coming years and this will provide greater net access to people in the rural parts of the country. The launch of language registration is necessary because, of the 476,000 adult Internet users, 35 per cent read dailies in local languages and 29 per cent read magazines in local languages," said Dewang Mehta, president, NASSCOM while explaining the need for multi-lingual domains in India.

NASSCOM is encouraging local content development by setting up National Internet Centre for Excellence (NICE) in Delhi. The exact role of NASSCOM will be delineated in the soon to be signed MOU with Network Solutions.

Till now, domain names were registered using ASCII English characters. Certain mapping softwares developed by VeriSign has made it possible for the global consumers to register domain names in their own language with appropriate accents and characters.

The multilingual domain names registered are currently in phase I of a three-phase resolution process. In phase I and phase II, multilingual domain names will be held in a "parked" status until they can be matched with a customer's website location also known as domain name resolution. In phase III of the tested, multilingual domain names will be resolved. The registrant would either need a computer with an in-language operating system and special keyboard or a software capable of creating the in-language characters.

"The use of multi-lingual domain names will be extended through ‘e-panchayat' - a concept that we are experimenting with to make Internet more useful to rural Indians," Mehta said. In a few months, NASSCOM plans to introduce this concept of ‘e-panchayat' in 230 villages in east Uttar Pradesh and in 140 villages in Gujarat. "This will keep people in one village well-connected with neighbouring villages as well as keep them informed about new developments," he added.

VeriSign has also tied up with companies, including Satyam Infoway, BombayBiz, Cyberweb Global Services, Dotcom Services, Innovative Creations, Indialinks and Planet India to register domain names in local languages. On Baisakhi day, VeriSign will open the registration for the domain name in Punjabi.

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