Mysuru: In the digitalised era where everything is available online, the University of Mysore (UoM) is also planning to digitise about 300 Kannada works in association with Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL) and upload it.

Many of the works of Kuvempu Institute of Kannada Studies produced by Prasaranga, the publication division of UoM, Oriental Research Institute (ORI) and ‘Bharatvani’ project, being undertaken at CIIL, have signed an agreement for bringing out the works in digital form, said Registrar D. Bharathi.

Bharatvani aims at delivering knowledge in and about all the languages in India using multimedia such as text, audio and video images, through a portal. The works will be scanned and uploaded in Portable Document Format (PDF to www.bharatvani.in). In the days to come the works will be uploaded in text form, she said.

However, according to sources in the University, this is an ill-conceived move. “If all the works in University of Mysore is digitised and uploaded on the internet then what happens to the publication and the marketing division Prasaranga. The University is earning lakhs of rupees by selling some of the finest works of the greatest authors in the State, many of whom have served in the University. If everything is available on the net, then the only option left is to close down Prasaranga,”  said the source.

A senior writer who has contributed many works to the University, speaking to Star of Mysore said, “ORI has produced an excellent work on Sri Tatvanidi, which is a prestigious publication of Prasaranga. If a free download is allowed then what happens to the investment UoM has made on this project.”

“The Encyclopaedia is another example where if digitisation is allowed, the University will suffer.  Only very old editions like Prabhudadda Karnataka could be digitised,” he said.

Asked whether he had any idea of 300 Kannada works selected, he categorically stated that no list had been given to the people who are involved in the project. “Besides it could lead to many legal issues as the descendants of the authors whose works are in demand would go to the court, since such a move would deprive them of the royalty,” he added.