The main objective of the project, as conceived at the beginning, was to develop computer applications supporting user interfaces in different languages of India and the South Asian region. The applications would be used throughout the country to allow persons who do not speak or understand English, to learn to use the computer in their own mother tongue. Also, it was felt that a development environment should be created for people to develop new applications to cater to specific regional needs.

The project had envisaged literacy and education as the primary area of application of the software, since most persons in the country have little or no familiarity with the English language, considered essential for working with computers.

These goals were to be achieved by deploying innovative software applications that take advantage of the phonetic nature of Indian languages. This feature permits software tools to be developed which work uniformly across all the national languages of India and their writing systems. This approach greatly simplifies application development and considerably aids in training people in the use of the software.

The project also provides for deploying the software tools and applications for the benefit of the disabled, specifically the visually handicapped. Based on the successful implementation of synthesized speech output as well as the creation of Braille documents in Indian languages, the project also kept in mind the needs of the visually handicapped section of the community in India to provide them with the resources for literacy and self education. The applications developed as part of the project would be made available to the country free of cost and in the process, offer resources for self improvement through access to information disseminated through the Internet.

The project started its interaction with the society by deploying the ICT based applications through volunteer groups in the country. Thus it was possible to run the project without centralized financial support. This is a unique aspect of the project which has won appreciation form all the people in India and elsewhere, for the effective manner in which the learning resources have been made available to the people despite the differences in the regional languages used. Volunteers also help reach out to the people at the grass roots level making it possible for the project administration to understand the issues arising out of the use of the software in the field.

On the technical side, the approach to creating the ICT tools permit a platform independent development of the applications on account of the universal representation of the text through syllable based encoding leading to very efficient text and linguistic processing of information.

By 2002, the viability of the project had been successfully established. The online “Learn Sanskrit through self study” lessons vindicate the approach taken to disseminating educational material through the Internet. Several institutions in India, notably the schools for the Blind, had received training through Vidya Vrikshah, the volunteer organization working closely with IIT Madras. It is gratifying to note that many of the institutions have started training their students to effectively use the computer in the mother tongue. We are pleased to observe that the visually handicapped in the country feel happy that the resources made available to them actually empower them.

We still have a long way to go since the challenges we face are not technical but social. The impact of the project, though seen already in specific regions of the country, will have to spread so as to establish the benefits of ICT through the mother tongue. We hope to achieve this slowly over the coming years, not only in India but in the larger South Asian Region.

ICT based approach to education and literacy offers several advantages. In the first place, one can readily utilize the infrastructure already in place in the country for accessing the internet. Government of India has invested heavily in setting up a backbone and it is just a question of deploying the applications through the web. The computer remains an expensive resource but volunteer effort and the redeployment of used machines have brought significant benefits, specifically for meeting the immediate training needs of the people.

In an environment starved of teaching manpower in most parts of the country, a dedicated teacher can manage significantly larger classes of students once she has demonstrated a concept through a computer interface. The student has to merely replicate the process for details. The online presentation of the lesson where one is taught how to write is a wonderful example.

http://acharya.iitm.ac.in/sanskrit/lessons/lesson0/java_anim/san_anim.php

The ICT based approach opens up new avenues for people to enhance their own knowledge by gaining access to information in their own mother tongue and the use the electronic medium to effectively disseminate their ideas. Mother tongue based user interface brings in the additional advantage significantly reduced efforts to train people in using computers in the most natural manner. This approach also allows one to learn English in the process.

In respect of the visually handicapped, ICT based approach is very effective in conveying information on a daily basis which helps the disabled gain self confidence. A single application that works uniformly across the languages of the country, not only provides instant access to common information via transliteration but also provides effective centralized control of information common to the entire country. Details of Government ordinances, provisions of the disabilities act etc., which have hitherto been available only through substantial effort, may now be disseminated easily so that the disabled get to know these special provisions.

The ICT based approach has another important advantage namely integration of the disabled with the mainstream. The software applications are literally identical except for the addition of synthesized speech. Hence the disabled can work together with normal persons in accomplishing tasks.

Knowledge of computer skills in one’s own mother tongue empowers one to gain confidence that they too can contribute to the society in a natural manner. They help the citizen gain meaningful employment in institutions which consistently deal with information in the vernacular.

When the Acharya Project was envisaged, one of the important issues under consideration was the ease with which the tools of Information Technology, developed as part of the project could be distributed to others. The idea was to encourage independent groups to develop new applications consistent with their local requirements. We observed that it was relatively easy to train persons to not only use the Multilingual applications but also be skilled to train others. In effect, we relied on the multiplier effect to get our project replicated in other parts of India. There was no cost involved and the usefulness of the applications was seen by the people at grass root levels.

Transfering the project or say replicating the project is a matter of training a few individuals in the use of the multilingual applications and help them setup a web server so that they may independently disseminate information for related target groups.

Over the years we have successfully trained groups from several institutions for the visually handicapped in the installation of the speech enhanced software. The applications themselves can be installed by anyone who is familiar with the installation of standard applications on systems.

Vidya Vrikshah volunteers have created training modules which may be distributed to other organizations. There are in the form of documents which may be viewed on the web so that distribution is simpler.

The Acharya effort is aimed at advancing literacy and education in India, specifically for the underprivileged and the disabled, through the use of Information Technology aids. The project has pioneered the development of computer applications in the mother tongue of the user, thus greatly eliminating the language barrier. The multilingual solutions developed as part of this effort provide elegant and simple approaches to dealing with the languages of the South Asian region by adopting an innovative approach to text representation in terms of syllables. The suggested method simplifies the development of interactive applications irrespective of the language/script used and thus helps manage the distribution and maintenance of the software.

The specific approach to text representation also permits the development of applications enhanced through synthesized speech. Consequently it has been possible for the project to deliver applications for use by the visually handicapped sections of the society. Furthermore, the applications directly provide for the creation of documents in Bharati Braille, an important aid to disseminating information for the visually handicapped.

The Acharya project uses the internet to effectively disseminate information by providing different kinds of services elating to education and literacy in the country. The software tools developed allow direct and extremely flexible means for creating content in the vernacular and deliver the same through the web. One is not constrained to use specific platforms or proprietary software to view the text.

A unique aspect of the project is the approach to promoting the use of Information Technology through volunteers. It has been possible for us to sustain the project all these years without having to worry about major budgeting issues. Replicating the project will be easily accomplished once a volunteer group is trained in the use of the applications.

The Acharya project is an example of an effort aimed at literacy and education for the masses where content can be created and delivered in the most appropriate manner quickly and effectively. Language or script independent approach to dealing with text has distinct advantages in India.

The project has continued for more than a decade now and we believe that we have successfully established the importance of Information Technology through the mother tongue as a means for progress in basic education. We are gratified that an increasing number of organizations have started using the Acharya multilingual technologies and offer services for the visually handicapped. The Open Source effort is also contributing to the creation of new applications and services for the people.

The project has taught us an important lesson. Technology is relatively easy, social relevance is much harder.