• Mysore Varsity Texts to be Digitised

    Mysore Varsity Texts to be Digitised

    Techtree News Staff, May 21, 2007 1643 hrs IST

    The Mysore University library has around 100,000 manuscripts written on paper and palm leaves, which includes the 'Arthasastra' written by Kautilya.

    mail share

According to an IANS report, Google is planning to digitise at least 800,000 books and manuscripts that are lying at the Mysore University in Karnataka.

The Mysore University library has around 100,000 manuscripts written on both paper and palm leaves, including India's first political treatise, the 'Arthasastra' written in the 4th century BC by Kautilya.

Commenting on the initiative, J Shashidhara Prasad, Vice Chancellor of Mysore University, said this is an effort to restore and preserve this rich cultural heritage for effective dissemination of knowledge.

The literature to be digitised is written either in Sanskrit or Kannada, and comprises manuscripts on Ayurveda, Mathematics, medicine, science, Astrology, and Economy. 'Arthasastra' and other paper manuscripts of the Wodeyar dynasty of Mysore are included in this.

Prasad said that the digitised versions of manuscripts would be patented depending on exclusivity, and would also be printed, once the digitisation work was over.

Reportedly, Google will be digitising these manuscripts as well as 700,000 other books free-of-cost. The idea behind digitising for free is to get free links to these materials once the necessary patenting is complete.

Google will also provide expertise, software, and manpower for the digitization work. Whereas, Mysore University is training some of its select Physics students to help in the digitisation process.

Though no time spell has been given by the university on the completion of the project, once complete, they said they would allow students, scholars, and historians from all over the country to access this vast knowledge base.

Follow Techtree on Twitter

Related Links
Google Launches Mobile Help Forum
Now, Sync Google Contacts With BlackBerry
Google Search Juggernaut Rolls on
Tag keywords
Google Mysore University Books Arthasastra.



Discussion Board
(10) Comments
PANDITH CHANDRA
,BANGALORE, on May 24, 2007 07:44 PM
A very valuble work to Humanity and to the posterity by Google by this act. I eagerly wait for the day to read a book from this scheme at the earliest. Thank you Google for you Good work alone important not Money.
Report abuse
satish k. chuah
,delhi, on May 22, 2007 10:19 AM
Really ,it is good that most the people shall be able to utilise the past experiences
Report abuse
Ashwin
,Chennai, on May 22, 2007 10:11 AM
It would be nice if this efort is passed onto other states of India. India has always been valuable source of knowledge. Patening ancient book is the stup[idest thing ever. The author of these books never thought of patening these works. So how come some 3rd party could allowed to do this stupid thing. It would be nice if these knowledge source are made freely available to the masses, atleast to the indians , who have natural right to these sources of wisdom.
Report abuse
Pradeep
,Bangalore, on May 22, 2007 08:55 AM
I agree with some people here. Things that come to my mind. 1) Google is doing Indian literature and knowledge no favour 2) Google wins exclusive rights to publish on the web. Google goes the Microsoft way of monopolising the market. 3) Why Google? Why not Indian 'tech' firms? 4) Patent - As rightly pointed out, will it be under Indian or US copyright laws? DO NOT LET the copyright fall under USA's patent laws. It's INDIAN, let it be. 5) Should the knowledge be spread free of cost? In that case there is no right hands and wrongs hands to fall into. 6) Should only the scholars have access to this/or the ones that seriously pursue Indian literature have access to this? My verdict: Use Indian firm to convert. If not make Google pay for every word it uses in its search engine. Keep patent uner Indian Jurisdiction. Share info in public libraries for all to learn.
Report abuse
Abhilash Kolant
,Bangalore, on May 22, 2007 08:25 AM
Great Job.. Google Scores.. We need more initiatives like this by Google..
Report abuse
Vasu Deshpande
,Buffalo, NY, on May 22, 2007 06:15 AM
This is a great initiative. People get to see and read the texts in the original form. Great going !!
Report abuse
Jose T George
,VAIKOM, on May 22, 2007 05:32 AM
Sirs, I wish all success in this epoch-making project. I would cosider myself highly privileged if I get some information on the progress of this project. I would be only too glad to paricipate in this should you ever consider such a proposal to be worthwhile. Regards, Jose T George
Report abuse
Arun kumar
,Ludhiana Punjab, on May 22, 2007 01:53 AM
It is great to get our old ancient scripts digitized so as to preserve them and be made them available to indians but by giving google a chance to do so may expose this great knowldge to the world which is intended for india. We can make some local arrangements for this digitization by involving local indian people and the digitized information may be accessed with in the library. Letz do something to stops this and save our ancient literature from being given to wrong ones.
Report abuse
Anand Plappally
,Columbus, on May 21, 2007 09:00 PM
Dear Editor, Please do not provide our old manuscripts to be given under a US copyright law. Please help taking care while patenting. Let the document remain Indian always. This is a very big request to the Mysore University. They have taken a great step but be cautious as we Indians have aldready lost Vedas, Neem, Basmati etc .
Report abuse
V. Shankar
,Coimbatore, on May 21, 2007 05:28 PM
Books cannot be patented. It is a commentary on the state of our awareness on intellectual property matters that this news item talks about "patenting" books.
Report abuse

Opinion Poll