A new promising market is waiting to unfold, with recent estimates putting the Indian language software market at Rs 150 crore.
p____p As urban markets become saturated, vendors are increasingly seeking fresher market places in rural and non-metro towns where Indian languages abound. A major development in this direction has been Microsoft’s recent Office Hindi offering for the non-English masses.
p____p The boost for smaller and private solution providers will now be in matching solutions to real and compelling needs, such as the rise and growth of non-English language computing. It has been witnessed how cheap information kiosks (e-choupals) have helped India bring computing power to the masses, providing a model to bridge the digital divide.
p____p There have been private-sector initiatives like Drishtee; government-to-citizen facilities like the Bhoomi project, where villagers can pay a few rupees for accessing land records, market prices, and other information. One way in which these kiosks might generate revenue is to teach children computers. So far this has brought in some money for the kiosk operators.
p____p While bridging the digital gap remains one area, vendors are reportedly considering other opportunities in areas like electronic government, utilities, healthcare, education, banking, financial services etc.
p____p Given the infrastructural constraints and the low PC and Net penetration in the country, it is sure to be an arduous task ahead. But given the will of some organizations that are combining business potential with developmental causes, and the zest with which regional language software and applications are being developed, one can perhaps afford to be a little optimistic about bridging the digital gap after all.
p____p However, developing an affinity for a particular technology based on perceived potential won’t make for a stable business model. But being flexible enough to employ new technologies, when customers need them, can bolster business in times of need and cement relationships built on long-term expertise.
p____p Organizations such as the IndLinux group, as well as the Free Software group, are working on Indian language computing and localizing the Linux operating system by creating Indian-language interfaces. There is a lot of creativity, but there is still a long way to go. We need to know what works and what doesn’t, how costly it is, and who can pay for it.