Between Dr. Kambara with Shri Jamdar (I.A.S), designated by the C.M. to look into the Kannada software issue:

1)       Background of the investigation into the sorry state of affairs in Kannada software by Shri Tejaswi, Dr. Halemane and the proceeds of the meeting held at CIIL, Mysore, on 25-5-2004 along with the recommendations therein. (refer Exhibit I)

2)       Evasive replies of KGP to the issues raised at the meeting and indications that KGP was unable to shoulder the responsibility of solving Kannada software problems. (refer Exhibit II)

3)       The investigation of Shri Kumaraswamy of eKAVI, USA, into the reasons for KGP’s inability to address the technical problems of Kannada software and the discovery that KGP has no real technical ability because all the technically competent former executives have quit or were thrown out of KGP on technical grounds since they questioned the non-professional approach of the secretary and some key functionaries. Evidence of the real story behind the development of Kalitha/Nudi from the eye-witness accounts of the former committee members of KGP like Shri Sathyanarayan, Shri Anand and Shri Pavanaja and other software vendors like Shri Anbarasan (Applesoft) and Shri Muthukrishnan (SRG). Some of the shocking revelations are: (refer Appendix I)

4)       To clarify the real state of affairs in KGP and to find answers to the problems dogging Kannada software, Dr. Halemane and eKAVI led by Shri Kumaraswamy organized another meeting on the 16-7-2004 to allow a face-to-face, frank and free discussions between the KGP executives, the software experts and former KGP functionaries and concerned litterateurs like Shri Tejaswi, Dr. Kambara, Dr. G. Venkatsubbiah and publishers like Shri Rajaram. The main conclusions from the meeting which were communicated to the press were: (refer Appendix II)

5)       KGP instead of cooperating in cleaning up the mess in the Kannada software area by participating and clarifying in the above meeting, showed great disrespect for the sincere efforts of eminent persons of undoubted integrity like Shri Tejaswi, Dr. Kambara, Dr. G. Venkatsubbiah and Dr. Halemane, by not turning up for the meeting, taking a combative posture and justifying its untenable position. It also released to the press a statement full of lies and deceptions which can be easily demolished based on facts like: (refer Appendix III)

6)       So it is evident, (refer Appendix III Section 7) that this whole concern of DIT and KGP for standardization is just a sham to perpetuate their monopoly and eliminate the enlisted Kannada software developers; whose combined turnover might not even equal the money spent in one of these above mentioned Kannada data processing and database projects.

Conclusion:

With so much of compelling evidence against KGP and DIT, it is essential to have a fact finding committee as suggested earlier to go into the lapses in the development and implementation of Kannada software and take immediate corrective action, before the very usage of Kannada is eliminated from the computer and electronic mediums due to the flawed policies of DIT and KGP. Also in comparison with the progress made by other states and languages like Hindi and Tamil (refer Appendix IV), Kannada has a lot of catching up to do.

Some of the high priority Kannada Software development activities yet to be done:

a)       Aesthetic Kannada fonts in TrueType and Open Type formats.

b)      Kannada Unicode to non-Unicode document converter in .DOC, .HTML, .RTF and .XML formats.

c)       Kannada Standardized Electronic Dictionary

d)      Kannada Spell Checker and Thesaurus.

e)       Kannada localization or MS Windows and Linux Operating system

f)        Kannada localization of office productivity suites like MS Office and Open Office.

g)      Kannada OCR.

h)       Kannada Text-to-Speech Engine.

i)         Kannada Speech-to-Text Engine.

j)         Kannada to English Translation software.

k)       English to Kannada Translation software.

Appendix I

Revelations about KGP surfacing due to investigation by Shri Kumaraswamy of eKAVI

1. KGP has misled the GOK about its ability to undertake all and sundry tasks of developing Kannada software. It has no real technical personnel or expertise or infrastructure to develop Kannada software
2. KGP is run as a personal fiefdom of just two or three key functionaries, who took arbitrary, secretive decisions without consulting the committee members; hence it is an unprofessional organization.
3. KGP has garnered GOK funds by making false claims about its ability to develop Kannada software. KGP functionaries are misusing the funds with possible collusion from some elements in GOK.
4. KGP’s only development to date, Kalitha/Nudi software has infringed on the Intellectual Property Rights of others like “Akruti” by being derived from “Baraha” which itself has admitted to being derived from “Akruti”.
5. KGP has also misused the trust of software developers, when they submitted their software for evaluation and have reverse engineered the features of their software and Intellectual property and created Nudi. Hence, Nudi is not the original work of KGP as claimed.
6. KGP has not completed the majority of the tasks assigned to it by GOK for which funds have been released and is doing some trivial tasks like typing Kannada classics in the name of Kannada software development. Thus it is hoodwinking the GOK.
7. KGP is in an untenable position as both the referee (certification agency), competitor (developer) and has declared itself as the winner (self declaration).
8. KGP is monopolizing the supply of software to the GOK, by claiming it has developed Nudi and released it as freeware, whereas funds amounting to more than 30 lakhs were sanctioned for it without due processes demanded by the transparency act, like a tender and thereby preventing any other software vendor from supplying to the GOK.

Appendix II

Conclusions of the meeting held at Vijayanagar Club on 16-7-2004

1. KGP showed its hostility and non-cooperation by not participating in the meeting probably to cover up its inadequacies.
2. KGP is not equipped to shoulder the onerous responsibility of standardizing or certifying Kannada software due to lack of technical ability and inadequate skilled manpower or infrastructure, and hence the G.O. permitting it to certify Kannada software for standards compliance should be immediately withdrawn.
3. The GOK should constitute a two tier committee with immediate effect having people concerned about Kannada and Kannada software from various disciplines like literature, arts, academia, research institutions, software industry and non profit organizations. This committee should henceforth guide the development of Kannada software regarding standards, certification, funding of research and development and implementation and progress of Kannada usage in the GOK and the other public spheres.
4. Nudi developed by KGP using questionable means had become a monopoly and though it flouted the standards set by GOK and had some serious flaws, due to the support within the GOK by DIT, it was being imposed on all departments and undertakings as the only solution. This was against free and fair competition and hence Nudi’s monopoly should be curbed in interests of Kannada software development and opportunity should be given to all software developers whose software complied with the GOK standards.
5. Since Nudi was developed using GOK funds, it should be made “Open Source” and any interested developer should be able improve on it and make it available to the public, thereby reducing reliance on a sole agency like KGP, which as pointed out earlier was inadequately equipped for the task.

Appendix III

Refutation of the lies spread by KGP

1. Lie No. 1: KGP is not a certifying agency for Kannada software

1. 1. This lie is exposed by the G.O. (attached herewith), which clearly states that KGP is appointed for certification.

1. Lie No. 2: KGP is not a monopoly
   1. DIT has sent a letter wherein it clearly states that Nudi is a testing software only (available free from KGP / DIT) and is to be used for testing for standards compliance of Kannada software.
   2. In their elaborate letter to Lokayayukta (extract attached), DIT explicitly mentions that Nudi is a full-fledged software. If this is the case why would any GOK department need any other software and hence in reality DIT is thrusting Nudi in the guise of testing software to all its departments.
   3. As part of its Mahiti Sindhu project, the entire secretariat was interlinked using networked computers. It was insisted that all departments should send documents in Kannada using Nudi format only. This is a clear signal to all GOK departments regarding its clear preference for Nudi to the exclusion of others.
   4. It is also claimed by DIT in its reply to Lokayukta(extract attached), that by using Nudi and only Nudi, savings to the tune of Rs. 24 lakhs, were effected by the GOK. This exposes the lie, that Nudi was a testing software as claimed earlier and was in fact a tool to exclude any other software vendor (though complying with standards) from supplying to the GOK.
2. Lie No. 3: Nudi belongs to GOK and since the copyright is owned by the GOK, the question of monopoly does not arise when it uses it.
   1. It is a fact that the software was developed for GOK, by KGP for a consideration paid out of GOK funds, without proper procedures being followed like tendering or ascertaining the capability or experience of a private body like KGP.
   2. How could the GOK entrust a private body like KGP with certification or development of software and release funds when it had no prior experience or personnel or infrastructure. In fact KGP, which was registered as a not-for-profit trust, had no office of its own, no competent employees and had not filed a single return for its prior three years when the funds were given to it. Technically as per the Societies act, GOK had funded a huge sum to a defunct body without any due diligence. If this was not a creation of a monopoly, then what is it?
   3. The Nudi software in question is a conglomeration of various software, developed by KGP, Keshava Ganaka Parishat, Shimoga, Vishwa Kannada Softech etc, which carry separate copyright notices, claiming to own the copyrights for those particular modules. Thus KGP’s claim that Nudi belongs to the GOK, itself is a debatable point and is being made to escape the charge to promoting a monopoly.
3. Lie No. 4: Bilingual fonts in Nudi (which violate the standards) were made at the request of GOK and there is no violation of standards. Also conversion from bilingual to Standard GOK (monolingual) fonts is provided hence there is no violation of standards.
   1. If Bilingual fonts, were indeed requested by the GOK, how come only KGP was sent this request, and none of the other certified vendors like Applesoft, SRG or Cyberscape Multimedia Ltd. Why was GOK partial to KGP? What were the specification for these fonts and where is the document requesting for these fonts from either GOK or to KGP?
   2. In fact on being questioned about it by Shri Anabarasan of Applesoft, Mr. Rajiv Chawla, the E-Governance Secretary, indicated that a committee would be constituted for this purpose, proving without doubt that this was not a standard. Also when Mr. Anabarasan enquired about the status of this committee, no clarification was given in this regard, nor was any committee ever constituted in this regard.
   3. The fact of the matter is that right from 1995, Akruti had developed the bilingual Kannada fonts, which was subsequently followed by CDAC and had already supplied them to GOK for many years (evidence attached). When, Nudi was sought to be thrust on the GOK departments, many resisted, because it did not have the ease of use of the Akruti/CDAC bilingual fonts, especially when it came to switching in a document from Kannada to English and vice-versa. Hence when they came up against the intense user resistance of the unfriendly GOK standard monolingual fonts, KGP quietly stole the the bilingual font technique developed by the vendors earlier mentioned and started supplying Nudi with the same to retain the monopolistic hold, without bothering to go thru the certification process, which would have exposed the hollowness and the defects in both the GOK Standard as well as KGP as a certifying body.
   4. The Nudi packages supplied to GOK (including the one given to Lokayukta for evidence purpose) and public, does not contain the so-called converters for bilingual to monolingual fonts. So if ever there was such a thing, it was a very well kept secret from the users. In fact, even to this day as can be easily verified independently verified with the users, the majority of them are unaware of any conversion utility and happily continue to work with the bilingual fonts (because of ease of use) and hence violate all the standards that Nudi was developed ostensibly to preserve.
4. Lie No. 5: It is said the problems of the vendors was due to the usual problem of switching over from proprietary software to standardized one.
   1. This is a complete misrepresentation of facts, because all the vendors, when asked by the GOK, agreed to comply with the standards.
   2. There is concrete evidence (attached here) that KGP indeed certified that vendors like Applesoft, Cyberscape, CDAC and SRG satisfied the GOK requirements and these were declared as enlisted vendors of Kannada software meeting with the requirements, so the question of vendors difficulty of switching over to standards does not arise.
   3. In fact, the real problem was caused by the adoption of the non-standard (bilingual fonts) introduced by KGP in Nudi, keeping both the vendors and the GOK in dark as pointed out earlier. Thus the problems were really created by KGP forcing a changeover of non-standards compliant( pre-certified vendors software) to the non-standards compliant bilingual fonts(using pirated IPR)  in Nudi!
5. Lie No. 6: KGP has not come in the way of any Kannada software developer and everyone is free to contribute to Kannada applications and software using GOK standards,
   1. Indian Software Laboratory, Bangalore (ISL), had developed as early as in 1997/98, a novel and useful Kannada software, which could be called an administrative software for e-administration of any GOK department, called Kannada Kacheri. Various people in GOK were given demos and it was highly appreciated by many (evidence attached), including the former C.M., who even advised for its adoption as early as possible in GOK.
   2. However, instead of encouraging its usage, KGP, mainly thru its secretary C.V. Srinath Sastry (CVS), while publicly appreciating the effort (evidence attached), would go around verbally depreciating it (at DIT and other departments), in fact at a later date after the lauch of Nudi, it was communicated to ISL, that if it complied with GOK standards (meaning Nudi) it could be acceptable.
   3. By this time, due to lack of resources and the sheer fatigue of overcoming this resistance (created partially by KGP / CVS), ISL decided to enter into a joint venture with Cyberscape Multimedia Ltd. and the product was rechristened as e-Karyalaya. The product was substantially improved and re-launched with GOK standard fonts. Instead of helping in promoting the adoption and usage of this software, KGP in collusion with DIT hatched another sinister plan (probably to milk some more money out of GOK)
   4. By studying the features and facilities in the demo versions given to some GOK departments, KGP along with some ex-DIT employees again reverted to the trick of copying this software (with active involvement of Shri Sastry’s son) and again stalled the development of a useful Kannada software, by launching an imitation of this software called e-Adalitha (even the name was a copy).
   5. This, e-Adalitha (half-baked version) was released by Shri Bargur Ramchandrappa and Shri Vivek Kulkarni, with great fanfare (news item attached), claiming that this would (like Nudi??) result in great savings for the GOK.
   6. Probably due to protests to IT Ministry and KDA (evidence attached) and the probe of Lokayukta (in matter of Nudi), KGP and DIT, could not complete ACT II ( a rehash of the Nudi saga) and could not re-enact the well oiled strategy of first copying some one else’s software and then getting a huge sum sanctioned (after tasting lakhs, perhaps the target would be now crores) for releasing it free to GOK.
   7. Another case involving the Kannada and Culture Department’s project for developing a Multimedia CD and a Website for Dasa Sahitya is also very interesting. The tender was called by MSIL (which normally sells paper and operates cargo containers and obviously is far removed from either Dasa Sahitya or Software) inviting software developers to quote for the work. It was specified that only creative multimedia companies with knowledge (and appreciation) of Kannada literature should apply and that the raw text would be made available in Nudi format and this would have to be converted to the Multimedia content on CD as well as Web. It is pertinent to note that all this typing of Dasa Sahitya was given to some agencies (can we know, to whom and for what price). Just like it is a mystery how an organization dealing in paper was entrusted with a literary and software project, it is also very interesting to note that one of the key technical committee members deciding the qualifications of the vendor, had Shri Sastry of KGP. To this day it is not clear, how someone who has no idea about the technicalities of multimedia or web development can be on a committee to decide the qualification of vendors with years of expertise in this area. It is also important to note that this whole project worth about Rs. 50 Lakhs (estimated by MSIL) was finally (after a very long delay) bagged by a Delhi based firm, whose credentials about Kannada or literature may be quite questionable. None of the vendors from Karnataka, who it may be reasonably assumed may have better expertise in dealing with such a Kannada related matter even qualified, thanks to the great judgement of some eminent committee members who are sworn to be interested in Kannada development. Maybe KGP alone can answer some of these mysteries. It is also moot to know that the above mentioned Delhi firm has sub-contracted this work to a Bangalore based small multimedia firm (obviously who else would know Kannada Dasa Sahitya) for a fraction of the price which is a gross violation of the terms of the contract where it was clearly mentioned that no sub-contracting would be entertained.
6. Lie No. 7: KGP and DIT would like Kannada software to flourish and is not a competitor or obstacle and is interested only in compliance of software to standards.
   1. Here are a list of major computerization works in Kannada undertaken by the GOK where none of the enlisted software vendors were involved though their software complied to standards and in each case there has been complete abdication of responsibility by DIT and KGP since there is no adherence to the standards:

·         Commissioner of Public Instructions (CPI) and DSERT have gone ahead and invited tenders and awarded them to private vendors for development of Interactive Educational materials to be used throughout Karnataka in schools. There was no emphasis either on ability to have the Kannada (which should have been obvious) nor any GOK standards were followed. In most cases, teaching material in English (totally out of context for Karnataka) was “dubbed”  into horrible Kannada in a non-standard font.

·         Ration cards database software was created (by ECIL, Hyderabad) in non-standard Kannada fonts and crores of ration cards were issued, all over the state and DIT kept twiddling its thumbs, when crores of rupees were used to create this non standard Kannada database.

·         The Cauvery land records project developed by CDAC uses no standard Kannada fonts and close to Rs. 200 crores have been allocated for this project.

·         It is still not known, but presumably, the showpiece e-Governance project called “Bhoomi”  of which the DIT and the GOK is very proud of does not have the land records database in standard Kannada fonts.

·         The Karnataka State Election Commission, has created a massive database of voters all throughout Karnataka in Kannada without using the standard Kannada fonts.