Create a repository of Indian philosophical texts on the Internet, and to make these freely available to whoever is interested.
Create tools as well as a process that will make the putting up of such texts on the web simple.
Explore the different ways in which the content can be presented, in order to enhance the study of these texts.

Their major website is the Gita Supersite. It is not only the first site that they have built but even today, a large part of their collective effort is spent in improving this site. The texts are in Sanskrit and can be viewed in any of 11 language scripts: Assamese, Bengali, Devanagari, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Oriya, Punjabi, Roman, Tamil and Telugu. 

History

The genesis of this profound work can be traced back to a time before the Internet permeated our lives, when Dr. T.V. Prabhakar, a visionary soul from the esteemed Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, embarked on a sacred mission. With the blessings of the Chinmaya International Foundation, he embarked on a project in 1989 that would sow the seeds of digital enlightenment.

Under his stewardship, the transcendent teachings of Swami Chinmayananda's timeless masterpiece, "The Holy Geeta," found a new expression in the realm of technology. The groundbreaking endeavor resulted in the creation of Geeta Vaatika, a marvel of electronic literature that graced the screens of early computer systems as a DOS version in 1992, marking a significant milestone as one of India's first electronic books.

As the boundless potential of the Internet unfolded, the Government of India, through the Department of Electronics, recognized the profound importance of preserving and disseminating ancient wisdom. In a momentous turn of events, the Gita Supersite project received the patronage of the government, commencing a transformative journey.

With unwavering dedication and tireless effort, a website was meticulously crafted, weaving together multiple commentaries and translations of the revered Bhagavadgita. The initial programming, with its intricate tapestry of knowledge, resided on the client side. However, as the Ministry of Information Technology emerged from the Department of Electronics, a new chapter unfurled.

Under the auspices of the Resource Centres for Indian Language Technology Solutions, established across the nation, IIT Kanpur continued its sacred mission of illuminating the digital realm with the timeless wisdom of the Gita Supersite. The technology underwent a profound metamorphosis, with the essence of this sacred work encapsulated within a powerful database, its very heart beating on the server side.

Presently, the diligent team at IIT Kanpur strives relentlessly to refine and enhance this divine offering. The data is being meticulously transformed into a font-independent ISCII database, ensuring seamless access to seekers of wisdom. The programs are being fine-tuned, the audio content is being elevated to new heights, and an array of profound commentaries on the Bhagavadgita are being meticulously incorporated. With each passing moment, the website blossoms, its radiant petals unveiling additional features to enrich the spiritual quest of every visitor.

Fuelled by the flame of inspiration, the idea of constructing Heritage Websites dedicated to Indian philosophical texts emerged. A grand vision unfolded, encompassing the Upanishads, the Brahma Sutra, the Complete Works of Sankara, the sacred Ramcharitmanas, and the profound Yoga Sutra. The arduous process of data entry is nearing completion, followed by an extensive phase of meticulous proofreading to ensure the purity and authenticity of these timeless scriptures.

The wisdom and expertise gained through these sacred endeavors radiated beyond the confines of the spiritual realm. The profound knowledge of building websites in Indian languages was generously shared, leading to the creation of a bilingual masterpiece for the Uttar Pradesh Trade Tax Corporation, a testament to the harmonious fusion of technology and tradition. In parallel, an ethereal digital abode dedicated to the life and teachings of the contemporary sage, Paramahansa Rammangaldasji, came into existence, touching countless souls with its divine essence. And in yet another inspiring direction, a comprehensive all-Hindi site, Bimari-Jankari, blossomed, offering invaluable insights into disease information and holistic health.

As the digital tapestry of enlightenment continues to unfurl, the sacred work initiated by the luminous souls at IIT Kanpur serves as a beacon of divine knowledge, illuminating the path of seekers worldwide. Each stroke of the keyboard, each line of code, is infused with the spirit of reverence and a deep commitment to preserving the spiritual heritage of India. May this endeavor transcend the boundaries of time and space, guiding countless souls toward the profound wisdom that resides within our ancient scriptures.

Team

T.V. PRABHAKAR (Professor, IIT Kanpur) | TVP is the heart of the group. Together with VC, he began this work many years ago and, kept it alive and going, even in the occasional absence of official funding. Passionate about learning and teaching, he stays abreast of the latest on technology. Also passionate about Indian philosophy: appears “inspired” to work on the Bhagavadgita and Upanishads, often against great odds!

RAVI S MULA | Ravi re-engineered the platform and brought new life to the effort.

T. ARCHNA. | Archna is the Subject Specialist in the group and directs the content, interface, and features of the websites. Would rather be an out-of-work philosopher than be employed in any other capacity. But is interested in exploring technology to see how its use can enhance the study of philosophical texts. She has a huge number of ideas and the technology group can hardly keep pace with them.

HARISH C. KARNICK (Professor, IIT Kanpur) | HK took over the group’s leadership when TVP went on a year’s leave. Putting in enormous energy and remaining accessible to the group at all times, he has moved the work towards a major consolidation of effort. The project is now unthinkable without him.

NITIN GAUTAM | Nitin did lots of interesting things with the site. He brought in a CMS, streamlined Indian language display issues writing converters to the scripts we are using.

MURAT DHWAJ SINGH | MD is the senior programmer in the group, having worked to build the first version of the Gita Supersite. Quiet and unassuming, he has picked up enormous experience in putting up Indian language websites. His non-confrontationist attitude helps keep the peace when tempers run high!

MADHU KUMAR DHAVALA | Madhu has joined the group mainly to develop and test our sites and software. His major assets are his active participation in the group, willingness to learn, and charming smile!

RAJEEV BHATIA | Rajeev is the local wizard on data entry and proofreading. The accuracy and speed of his typing, both in English and Devanagari are truly remarkable, and his keen eyes catch errors that the proofreaders miss. Over the years, Rajeev has quietly made himself indispensable to the group.

SAURABH KUMAR | The latest recruit, Saurabh has joined the group mainly to test our sites and software. His major assets are his active participation in the group, willingness to learn, and charming smile!

DR. VINEET CHAITANYA was the driving force behind the Geeta Vaatika, as well as the inspiration for the Gita Supersite. Now he watches our activities from IIIT Hyderabad and is still one of the few who truly understand the spirit behind this work.

NAGARAJU PAPPU, the first one, wrote 100,000 lines of C-code for the initial versions of Geeta Vaatika. His DOS version had more features than the current HTML one!

Apart from the current team, those who have contributed to the growth of these websites in a major way include K. Anil Kumar, Anvita Bajpai, Ashutosh Sharma, Gita Pathak, Rajni Moona,  K. Ravi Kiran, Rohit Patwardhan, Samudra Gupta, Shrikant Trivedi, and Tripti Singh.

Sponsors | This work was done as part of the activities of the Resource Centre for Indian Language Technology Solutions, Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, India. The Resource Centres are funded by the Ministry of Information Technology, Government of India under its program, Technology Development for Indian Languages.