Friday, October 22, 2010

Google introduces Music search in Hindi

Google India labs has launched its online music service in India that enables users to search for legal music streams and downloads. It has partnered with In.com, Saregama and Saavn. The three digital music providers, hold rights to hundreds of thousands of Indian tracks - ranging from old and new Bollywood hits to Indian classical music.

The music search service currently indexes only Hindi songs. Users can search for a particular song, an album or even for artists. On clicking the search results the songs play on a pop-up window.

Google had first launched a music search feature in October 2009 for which they had partnered with MySpace, Pandora and Rhapshody amongst others. Music related search ranks high on the most used search keywords on Google.

Thursday, September 9, 2010

American University Introduces Hindi Program for MBA Students

As India is slowly emerging as an economic giant, a prominent American university has launched an intensive two-year course that will prepare MBA students to thrive in the business community of India. The Hindi Program, of the University of Pennsylvania’s Lauder Institute in Philadelphia, will culminate with a Wharton School MBA and Master of Arts and the expertise to navigate in and with India’s business community.


Scheduled to begin in May 2011, the joint-degree program promises in-depth language training in Hindi; comprehensive study of India’s culture, politics, values and business practices; and a two-month, in-country immersion opportunity to ensure that MBA students can assume successful managerial careers in and with India, the University of Pennsylvania said.

The University of Pennsylvania is a founding member of the American Institute of Indian Studies, while Wharton School is a founding partner of the Indian School of Business, and its faculty includes several experts on the Indian economy and business sector. (Source: PTI)

Monday, August 23, 2010

Scandinavian children's literature now in Hindi

Norway has opened its treasure chest of children's literature to vernacular readers in India by translating four Norwegian books in Hindi. This is the second lot of Norwegian children's literature to be translated in English. Last year, the Embassy of Norway had translated four children's books into Hindi.Cover of "Pippi Longstocking"Cover of Pippi Longstocking

The books translated this year include 'Naye Ghar Mein Gadbadi' written by Av Lene Ask, 'Chai ki Ketli' by Jan Kora Olen, 'Dost ya Dushman' by Kala Benedik and Trond Braenne; and 'Rajkumar Bho-Bho' by Bjorn Ousland. The translation projects have been funded by a non-profit Norwegian literary forum, Norla which is supporting the translation of yet another book, 'Out Stealing Horses', a work of fiction by Per Petterson, in three Indian languages. It will be released late autumn.

Besides, the organisation is also helping translate selected works of Norwegian playwright Ibsen in Indian languages. The Norwegian children's books in Hindi are 'pictorial novels' with colourful illustrations and accompanying texts. The books are subsidised and cost Rs.50 each.

Norway, along with Denmark and Sweden has a rich history of children's and young adult's literature. The northern nations' greatest legacy to children's literature are Danish raconteur Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tales and Sweden's Astrid Lindgren's cult heroine Pippi Longstocking.

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Useful website for Government employees using Hindi

A representation of the Lion Capital of Ashoka...                    Image via Wikipedia
The committee of Parliament on Official language (संसदीय राजभाषा समिति), Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India has created a useful bilingual website which would be helpful for the Central Government employees and Hindi officers. The website is maintained by National Informatics Centre. The website is available at http://rajbhashasamiti.gov.in.

Another useful website is at http://rajbhasha.nic.in.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

IITs flaunt Hindi high

The main entrance of IIT Madras, showing its l...                                       Image via Wikipedia
The number of candidates who cleared the IIT Joint Entrance Examination after taking the test in Hindi is three times the number in 2009, apparently bucking a trend of poor performances despite question paper errors disadvantaging them.

As many as 554 candidates who took the test in Hindi have qualified, compared with 184 last year, the IITs said while declaring their results today after over a month of controversy over instruction errors.

The IIT decision to declare the number of Hindi qualifiers was a first and was a direct outcome of concerns that the errors in question papers selectively hurt students who took the test in that language.