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[http://www.tech2.com/india/news/internet/google-to-digitize-800000-books-at-mysore-varsity/5626/0]

Google to Digitize 800,000 Books at Mysore Varsity

By: IANS   |   May 21,2007


At least 800,000 books and manuscripts, including India's first
political treaties the "Arthasastra" written in the 4th century B.C.
by Kautilya, that are lying in Mysore University in Karnataka, will
be digitised by Google, the world's leading Internet search engine.

"Written in both papers and palm leaves, there are around 100,000
manuscripts in our library, some dating back to the eighth century.
The effort is to restore and preserve this cultural heritage for
effective dissemination of knowledge," said J. Shashidhara Prasad,
vice chancellor of the university.

"Many manuscripts on ayurveda, mathematics, medicine, science,
astrology and economy including 'Arthasastra' and several paper
manuscripts of the Wodeyar dynasty of Mysore will be digitized
first," Prasad, who was recently in Delhi, told IANS.

Written either in Sanskrit or Kannada, these resources of knowledge
would be patented and printed after the digitisation work is over,
Prasad said.

"Depending upon the exclusivity of the materials, we will patent them
before making them available on public domain," he said, adding that
Google has offered them free service.

"Google has offered to digitise theses manuscripts as well as 700,000
other books free of cost. Google India chief (Eric Schmidt) had
already interacted with us and is ready to provide us expertise,
software and even manpower," Prasad said, adding that they have also
received some financial assistance from the University Grants
Commission (UGC) for the digitisation work.

Asked why Google is interested to do the job for free, the vice
chancellor said the company would get free link for these materials
once the necessary patent right is done.

Prasad, who is also a physicist, said that selected physics students
of his university are also getting trained to help in the
digitalisation process.

Mysore University, an enduring symbol in the sphere of higher
education in India, was founded by the then Maharaja of Mysore Sri
Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV in 1916.

It is the first university of Karnataka and currently 122 colleges
are affiliated to it with a total strength of nearly 55,000 students,
in graduation, post-graduation and research levels.

However, the vice chancellor did not spell out the exact timeframe of
the project. "It's a tough job and we could not spell an exact timing
of its completion."

Elaborating on its utility, Prasad said they would allow students,
scholars and historians from all over the country to access the
knowledge base.

Image Courtesy: Reuters 


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