Lipikaar – Simple Indic Language typing
Lipikaar provides a single simple typing method for typing in various Indian scripts using the standard qwerty keyboard. Currently 16 scripts are supported. While most other software use a transliteration scheme, Lipikaar uses a simple SMS style mapping to do a Roman to Indic script conversion, which is a method patented by Lipikaar. 
Lipikaar previously had a hardware based solution, which powered LED based display devices. This has been simplified and packaged as a web and desktop version. They have a web version and a Firefox add on which are free, and a desktop version requiring licenses. They are looking to license this technology to other software vendors which can use Lipikaar to add Indic script support to their software applications.
With a huge computer literate, but non English speaking population in India, and few competing products, Lipikaar is playing in a big market. With a simple solution, (hindi requires just two rules on a qwerty keyboard), it is sure to appeal to a wide segment of people.
Product Description
Using a patented method Lipkaar provides a simple method to type in Indic scripts using standard qwerty keyboard.
Target Audience
People who need to do a lot of typing in Hindi, and have little experience with English apart from recognizing the characters.
Technology:
SMS style mapping from qwerty to Indic script, patented to Lipikaar.
Funding Status
Lipikaar had a hardware based solution for last 7 years. The software business has been bootstrapped from the hardware business.
Time in operation
7 years for hardware business. 3 Months for the software business.
Team Size
Total 20. (Including hardware team.)
[This is a guest post by Shabda from Uswaretech.com, a Django web development shop and Lakshman profiling companies which presented at Proto. Shabda earlier wrote an article on bootstrapping in India. We will publish few of his startup analysis here.]
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Transliteration Solution like quillpad and google’s own seems much more intuitive to use to me then this one however we need more solutions for this space.Quill also seem to have managed to license its technologies to quite a few biggies and so will be tough to dislodge for lipikaar
It took some time to figure out what SMS style mapping is.
But, once I figured it out it is very simple to use.
Hope they would soon come up with widgets for websites.
@Abhishek,
they have released a Firefox Extension and that is a compelling reason in itself to try lipikaar. Also as Ravi said, it is really really simple to use it.
http://paresh.taleda.in/blog/2008/07/30/lipikar-hindi-indian-languages-firefox-extension/
Lipikaar is a cool product and their demo was quite impressive in proto
[...] company has also partnered with Lipikaar will allow authors to type their manuscripts in any Indian language from a normal English (qwerty) [...]