*The Hindu : "Now, copyright-free maps of States, districts, panchayats"*
http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/article1697940.ece
*As “Malayalam Loves Wikipedia” campaign gets good response..*
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*Even as the “Malayalam Loves Wikipedia” campaign, launched to expand the
knowledge repositories of Malayalam Wikipedia with copyright-free
Malayalam-related photographs, continues to evoke overwhelming response from
Wiki users and contributors, a project meant to make available online
free-to-use national map and maps of States, districts and panchayats is
making silent, but significant strides.*
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*The ambitious project was taken up by Bangalore-based software engineer and
Wiki contributor Rajesh Odayanchal. Other contributors, Ajay Kuyiloor,
Naveen and Jason Nedumbala, joined him in the venture. The team crossed a
milestone when a copyleft [free of copyright] map of India — to be further
fine-tuned — and maps of the districts of Kerala and some States were
readied.*
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*“Our aim is to prepare maps of all Indian States up to ward-level, which is
a humungous task. But we are confident that we will be able to execute
district-wise, panchayat-level and ward-level maps of Kerala. Regarding
other States, we may not be able to source data to do that kind of
micro-level cartography, so we will most likely restrict ourselves to
district-level mapmaking for the time being,” Mr. Odayanchal said.*
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*The project, carried out using vector graphics software Inkscape, carries a
GNU General Public Licence that renders it copyleft. Separate maps are made
in Malayalam and English. The modalities of execution have been well-laid
out in order to standardise the maps and make categorisation easy.*
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*“Given the magnitude of the project, we would like to have more persons
conversant with Inkscape,” Mr. Odayanchal said.*
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*To this end, a Google group has been formed, whichcan be contacted at
mlwiki-maps(a)googlegroups.com.*
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*Separately, the Malayalam Wiki is also set to add to its database a
copyleft version of Kottarathil Sankunni's Aithihyamala (Garland of Legends)
under a project initiated by Santhosh Thottingal, a member of Wikimedia
Foundation's language committee.*
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*The “Malayalam Loves Wikimedia' project, launched on April 2, received over
1,200 pictures as on Wednesday. It also found a mention in the international
Wikimedia signpost.*
Regards
Tinu Cherian