Photo Courtesy: nenow
Gangtok: Software engineer Bikram Rai officially transferred the copyright of the Magar digital font to the All Sikkim Magar Association (ASMA) this Saturday. The deal grants the association full control over the software, including reproduction, modification, and distribution rights. This move ends a 19-year tenure where Rai held the rights, despite allowing the community free use of the tools since 2007.
Rai developed the font shortly after finishing his engineering studies while looking for work in Gangtok. He began the project after former ASMA president Bishnu Rana Magar requested a digital script following Rai's successful digitization of the Rai language. Architect Jigme Dorji Bhutia assisted by designing characters in AutoCAD. Rai also received technical guidance from colleagues at IIT Powai during the six-month development process.
The software allows indigenous scripts to appear on computer keyboards, a necessity for producing books and educational resources. Rai noted the process was difficult due to scarce development resources and poor internet access at the time. Speaking on his decision to transfer the rights, Rai said, "My objective had always been to contribute to the preservation and promotion of indigenous languages rather than create legal disputes."
The association paid an agreed amount to acquire the software. ASMA president Reman Thapa called the transfer a landmark achievement that will bolster efforts to archive records and research material. The font has previously supported the production of the community's Herald publication and official textbooks. ASMA now plans to oversee the future development of the technology to serve future generations of researchers and students.
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