Global internet body ICANN is working on a proposal to enable booking of website names in Indian scripts starting with Devanagari, Gurmukhi, and Gujarati.
A Neo-Brahmi Generation Panel (NBGP), set up under ICANN, has started consultation to enable registration of website name extension, technically called top-level domain (TLD), like .com, .net, .in, in the three Indian scripts.
"The Neo-Brahmi script Generation Panel (NBGP) was formed by nine communities that use scripts derived from the Brahmi script. NBGP is developing Root Zone Label Generation Rules (LGR) for Bengali, Devanagari, Gujarati, Gurmukhi, Kannada, Malayalam, Oriya, Tamil, and Telugu scripts," the Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers website said.
At present website name with extension, .bharat can be booked only in Devanagari script which has limited letters that are identified by internet servers.
The technical standards once frozen through the process, called Label Generation Rules for the Root Zone (RZ-LGR), will allow people to use any word of their choice as TLD in the Indian scripts.
"After integration in the root zone of these LGR's people from all over the world will be able to apply for top-level domains in these scripts. This means that internet domains will be possible for the public at large in names of there choice and make internet access in their own language," NGBP Chairperson co-chair and Data XGen Plus founder and CEO, Ajay Data told PTI.
The root zone is the main server that converts the name of the website in a digital form and identifies the address of a server where the website is hosted to connect visitors of online portals. These servers are managed by the not-for-profit organisation ICANN.
While there are nine scripts in works at ICANN, NBGP intends to publish the proposals for the developing technical standards for all nine in three sets starting with Devanagari, Gurmukhi, and Gujarati.
The last date for public comments for freezing technical details is September 10, 2018.
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