March 5, 1999

Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) announces the launch of iLEAP-ISP scheme, the multilingual (Indian Language) software for Internet Subscribers. Under this iLEAP-ISP Scheme, a multilingual word processor with Internet and eMail support in Indian languages will be made available absolutely FREE to all Internet subscribers through their respective Internet Service Providers (ISPs).

C-DAC is announcing this special scheme, as its next initiative to popularize and spread the Indian language usage in computers to every corner of the country. The iLEAP-ISP Scheme comes along with the iLEAP Ver 2.0 - an intelligent, Internet ready, Indian language word processor to ISPs for free of cost and is to be transferred to their Internet Service Subscribers. This software will be authenticated for very limited period to all the Internet Subscribers. If any Subscriber wishes to be the registered user of this software has to obtain a Registered User ID that can be obtained by paying nominal license fee of Rs. 500/-. If any subscriber wants to go through the authentication he/she just has to eMail at and in return they will be sent an ID code which will be their Registered User ID. kk

This scheme is being launched after having discussions with various ISP's and based on their observation for the need of multilingual solution to facilitate the masses with better Internet Services. Amongst the ISP's who have shown more interest are Category B and C, who are focusing at regional and local level of ISP business.

Another dimension of this scheme is some of the ISPs are not in a position to invest in multilingual software separately. It is owing to uncertain future of this upcoming Internet industry where no one is sure what is going to happen in near future in terms of commercial returns. However, large number of Internet subscribers have shown interest as evident from the eMails reaching us and over a lakh of hits per month on our website.

This software will be displayed and demonstrated at Stall No. 8 during ISP INDIA' 99 which will be held from March 8th to 10th at Hotel Le Meridien, Bangalore. Speaking at the occasion Mr. Chandrashekar B. Raje, Coordinator, Business Division, GIST Group, C-DAC, said, "Today, Information Technology is available to the people at a cost effective price. In particular, Internet is mushrooming but millions of the users are non-English speaking and speak various regional languages. They want to use their own mother tongue while eMailing and creating contents for the web. In such a scenario, we are pleased to announce this scheme as an initiative to take our work to them. Spread of language technology is our social commitment and this scheme is yet another effort towards fulfilling that. I also believe that at this juncture, ISP's would not venture out any risk of overheads. They have also realized the importance of Indian language software to reach to their subscribers. Through this scheme, I think we are making their job easy," he added further.