Konkanverter will bring Konkani communities on one platform'

[email protected] (CD Network, Photos by Ahmed Anwar )

August 11, 2012

Mangalore, August 11: Konkanverter, an online script conversion utility for Konkani language, conceived and developed by World Institute of Konkani Language, World Konkani Centre, Mangalore, was launched in the city on Saturday.

The utility converts and transliterates Konkani Language in five Scripts, i.e., Devanagari, Roman, Kannada, Malayalam and Perso-Arabic.

Perso-Arabic script has not been included in the current beta version. It will be added in due course of time and the full-fledged version will be available soon, Gurudutt Bantwalkar, Assistant Director, World Instotute of Konkani Language, World Konkani Centre, the man behind the utility said.

The software was being developed from the past two years and was a challenge which has successfully been met, he said.

Ramdas Kamath,Vice-president (finance & admin), Infosys Technologies, said that the utility has built a common platform which would enable sharing of ideas across borders and barriers. The utility is a testimony to the contribution of technology in creating harmony and bringing people together, he said.

Fr Francis Rodrigues, Rakno editor, in his address hoped that the software will help in bridging gaps among the people and build harmony in the society. More work should take place in Konkani using technology so as to enable people to listen to parliamentary proceedings in Konkani language in the future, he said.

Basti Vaman Shenoy, President, World Konkani Centre, also spoke.

Comments

Add new comment

Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.

Demand for Mangaluru-Singapore direct flight gains momentum

News Network

September 13,2024

NRI professionals hailing from the coastal and Malnad regions of Karnataka, now based in Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia, Hong Kong, and Australia, have been urging the Indian government and airlines to introduce a direct flight between Mangalore International Airport (MIA) and Singapore’s Changi Airport.

These professionals argue that Singapore’s strategic location as a hub connecting India with East Asia makes this flight essential. They highlight that this route would serve over 12 million people from the coastal and hill regions of southern India, fostering stronger ties with East Asian economies.

The group, consisting of individuals from Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Udupi, Chikkamagaluru, Kodagu, Shivamogga, and Hassan, is spearheaded by Rajesh H Acharya, director of HQ Connections Pte Ltd, Singapore, and coordinator of the Singapore Tuluver community. Acharya emphasized the significance of the Indian government’s Act East policy, which aims to strengthen relationships between India and ASEAN, East Asia, and the Asia-Pacific region.

“This flight will open new doors for cultural, trade, tourism, and technological exchanges between these regions,” Acharya said.

The Mangalore Chapter of IndUS Entrepreneurs (TiE) has also proposed positioning the region as the 'Silicon Beach of India.' A direct flight would provide greater opportunities for entrepreneurs and investors from both Singapore and Mangaluru, boosting business exchanges.

Moreover, Singapore’s Changi Airport could see increased tourism from the Karnataka coast, while Coastal Karnataka would benefit from a surge in visitors from ASEAN countries, the Far East, Australia, New Zealand, and the US West Coast.

While a similar attempt in 2017 did not succeed, Acharya and his team are hopeful that this time their appeal will be taken seriously, tapping into the immense growth potential of the eastern half of the globe.

Comments