Comments on: @ IGF: “Let Us Not Assume That Users Want Indian Languages”; PC Era Ended; Multilingual Standards, Voice Based Internet

By: Farah

Farah — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 06:53:49 +0000

Ajit needs to be fired. Maybe he can go live in England.

By: Of Indian Languages and the Internet | coffee again... | Saumitri's blog

Wed, 24 Dec 2008 09:17:30 +0000

[...]Obviously, Ajit Balakrishnan has missed the point. Mahesh does make some interesting comments but I find his ideas unconvincing…

The internet is not an intellectual event. Its a mass phenomenon. You have to design for the masses[...]

By: rehman

rehman — Mon, 22 Dec 2008 07:24:09 +0000

I tend to agree with Mr. Ajit Balakrishnan, he always makes a lot of sense at the forums but what I find hard to understand is that why does he fails to implement all his wisdom and understanding on his own site.
He has constantly contradicted himself in his speeches and action. In one of his earlier interviews he had stated that Indic language will be a big driver and they are focusing on it big time…
and all his investments have been in technology to support Indic language…
there is something missing here..either he is misguiding the public..or just playing it safe…as he is not too sure of what the consumers really want..only time will tell.

By: Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal » Blog Archive » Vernacular internet?

Sat, 20 Dec 2008 14:07:37 +0000

[...] some interesting conversations floating about internet in local Indian languages. Take a look at Nikhil Pahwa’s (Medianama) first post that emanated out of a question in the Internet Governance Forum; [...]

By: Guest

Guest — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 10:39:22 +0000

@ Kaiser Faruqi

* “Economic Times Launches Gujarati Website”.- Maybe they don’t have business sense? Or, maybe they have better business sense than those who believe that the Indian language content is not wanted on the net?

* If the discussion is in particular language, the answer, obviously should be in the same language. Being multilingual is better for brain development than being language fanatic.

* Did Nokia fail because of technical reasons or because of linguistic reasons?
* There are lots of “small audiences”- if they are not wanted on the net, why go after them? Doesn’t make “excellent sales pitch”, does it?
* Ever saw google ads in Indian languages? They must have put some thought behind it?

This is not a debate between “English” and “Other Indian language” or even, what is the current scenario in the Indian internet space.

At least for me, it’s about what change we might see in the coming years.

By: Kaiser Faruqi

Kaiser Faruqi — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 07:20:30 +0000

I am in agreement with Ajit Balakrishnan regarding regional languages. The Aaj Tak website recieves less eyeballs compared to Ibnlive or NDTV.

The people commenting negatively have themselves replied in English which answers itself.

Nokia has failed in trying to corner the rural market with this idea.

Launching in 22 regional language is a strategy that they are available and cover an audience, however small, from competition and would make excellent sales pitch.

Like print advertisements in regional languages most of the text is in English

By: Guest

Guest — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 06:26:22 +0000

“Fundamentally, the Internet is not about content.”…

At a time when Indian language newspapers are expanding their reach by launching their websites, Mr. Balakrishanan said last week that consumers don’t want language content on the net. Then he launches communication facility in 22 Indian languages. No clue of what’s really happening on the net, in the world?

“When we sit around in meetings like this…”
- this is where his ignorance stems from.

“ So virtually 90% of the content is text free… “

- Maybe on Rediff, but on the net? .. Mr. Balakrishan needs to learn counting again or get his numbers from an authentic source.

By: Rediff CEO Ajit Balakrishnan at Internet Governance Forum: Local Languages Will Not Drive the Next Billion nternet Users | Gauravonomics Blog

Fri, 19 Dec 2008 04:14:55 +0000

[...] on Reaching the Next Billion, Rediff CEO Ajit Balakrishnan made some interesting comments (via Nikhil Pahwa) – If the world is looking to increase Internet users by a billion, India has to contribute [...]

By: bangaloreinc - News: Nimbuzz, Ibibo, Spice, Rediff, Microsoft, Myntra, Printo updates

Thu, 18 Dec 2008 06:19:55 +0000

[...] available in 22 different regional languages from January 2009. This is a step by Rediff very much in contradiction to the statements made by CEO Ajit Balakrishnan a few days ago at the Internet Governance Forum held at Hyderabad. (via livemint) “After [...]

By: MoByte

MoByte — Wed, 17 Dec 2008 05:22:02 +0000

I think too much time is spent talking about penetration and very little on actual satisfaction (pun unintended).

Here are some facts, and Nikhil you should spend time deep diving on these numbers.

There are 250 Million households in India with about 5 people per household.

50Mln of these are extreme poor and hence niether consume phone or internet or products and services of any consequence.

Of the balance 200M, 90 Mln have no TV 40 Mln have terristrial TV and 70Mln have cable/DTH access.

Now, 70 Mln of the cable households make up a population of 350Mln people. Of these 350Mln, 35Mln access internet in some form, ie a penetration of 10%.

However, rarely do all 5 members in a house access the internet so if we assume 2 people per household access the internet, you suddenly see that almost 25% of the C&S households in India are also internet households. The question is can a marketer continue to ignore this now?

Lets take mobile penetration now…

350Mln subscribers and 200Mln households (again ignoring the extreme poor for the time being).

To get to a 350Mln number, lets do some maths:

70Mln C&S homes each with 3 Mobiles = 210Mln Subs
40Mln Terristrial homes with 2 mobiles – 80Mln
90 Mln No TV households = balance 60Mln

Gets you to a number of 350Mln.

So effectively, 1 in 4 C&S households has access to the internet and has atleast 3 mobile phone subscribers in it..

The question I have is, its not about language or anything else.. its about brands taking their presence on the net seriously.

Search Wiki for the biggest brands in India and see how they fail.