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In a significant academic achievement, Dr Soni Wadhwa, Assistant Professor in the Department of Literature and Languages, has recently published a paper titled “Digital Libraries for Minor Languages in India: Frameworks for Addressing Absences in Policy and Governance.” The paper was published in the esteemed Journal Digital Library Perspectives. Dr Wadhwa’s research illuminates the importance of establishing digital libraries for minor languages in India and proposes frameworks to address existing gaps in policy and governance. This pioneering work not only explores the significance of preserving linguistic diversity but also advocates for inclusive and accessible digital resources for all.

The publication of this paper not only adds to Dr Wadhwa’s scholarly contributions but also highlights the commitment of SRM University-AP faculty members to engaging in research that can have a positive impact on society.

Abstract
This study aims to deliberate on strategies for enlisting community support for gathering diverse learning resources in different languages and for enlisting participation in activities such as crowdsourcing in initiatives such as annotations and transliteration. This paper calls for interventions that imagine and create infrastructure for the flourishing of smaller libraries that can draw from and feed into large-scale national and international libraries. Offering a conceptual framework to rethink the country’s approach toward minor languages, it first offers an overview of policies and initiatives relevant to the concerns of minor languages in digital libraries in India. Based on the policy analysis, it then goes on to suggest starting points for policy designers and custodians of libraries to help them work toward better representation of languages in their resources.

The existing frameworks analyzed here for the greater or representation of minor Indian languages reveal a culture of silence toward the issue of language. With some advocacy, these frameworks can be mined to craft different ways that are critical not just for enriching libraries but also for preservation of cultural heritage of the communities concerned, thus adding a larger social dimension to the question of access.

Explanation of the Research in Layperson’s terms
Given that Indian languages in general are under-represented on the internet and that languages of minority linguistic groups find very little space on digital platforms, it is imperative for institutions such as libraries to cater to smaller communities and their educational needs while also reaching out to them in their own languages. While a lot of socio-political discourse on minority languages in India exists, this study pushes for their bearing on digital libraries, educational frameworks and cultural heritage. It offers five suggestions for strengthening the presence of minor languages in digital libraries in India.

Details in citation format
Wadhwa, S. (2024), “Digital libraries for minor languages in India: frameworks for addressing absences in policy and governance”, Digital Library Perspectives, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/DLP-01-2024-0002

Practical Implications
This viewpoint paper can be used to enhance policy and governance around libraries. With National Education Policy 2020, which emphasises the importance of learning in regional/mother/Indian languages, Indian educational system as well as social institutions need stronger platforms to make resources in Indian languages available to students as well as lifelong learners. With more of such research, it will be possible to come up better digital infrastructure for Indian languages.

Social Implications
Indian languages are not widely represented on the Internet and in the knowledge set up. Making existing resources and knowledge available in digital libraries will stimulate further research on generating further research and knowledge production in Indian languages. It is hoped that more research in the domain of Indian languages works towards the digital divide and knowledge divide in India.

Collaborations
This research came out of the researcher’s previous archival work. Her digital archive PG Sindhi Library is dedicated to post-partition Sindhi writing in India. This article is based on an invited talk delivered at the international symposium titled “Digital Libraries: Sustainable Development in Education” held at IIT Kharagpur in India in November 2023. The author is grateful to the organisers and fellow participants for their feedback.

Future Research Plans
The researcher is involved in a sanctioned project titled “Sindhi Sanchaya: Building a Comprehensive and Interactive Database of a Partitioned Literature” funded by IIT Indore. She hopes to build on this work produced in this article as she makes progress in the project.

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In an exciting development, Dr Anirban Ghosh, Dr Anuj Deshpande, and Dr Sibendu Samanta, Assistant Professors from the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, have recently achieved a significant milestone with the publication of their paper titled “An Indigenous Computational Platform for Nowcasting and Forecasting Non-Linear Spread of COVID-19 across the Indian Sub-continent: A Geo-Temporal Visualization of Data” in the esteemed journal, Procedia Computer Science.

The paper focuses on the development of a state-of-the-art computational platform specifically tailored for nowcasting and forecasting the non-linear spread of COVID-19 across the Indian sub-continent. This pioneering work promises to offer valuable insights into the geo-temporal visualisation of data related to the COVID-19 pandemic, with potential implications for public health interventions and policy decisions.

The publication of this paper serves as a testament to the innovative research being conducted by the faculty members at the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering. Their dedication and expertise in the field have not only contributed to advancing scientific knowledge but also hold considerable promise for making a real-world impact in the ongoing fight against the COVID-19 pandemic. We extend our congratulations to Dr Anirban Ghosh, Dr Anuj Deshpande, and Dr Sibendu Samanta for this remarkable accomplishment and look forward to witnessing the continued impact of their research in addressing critical challenges facing the world today.

Abstract

The rapid spread of the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated unprecedented collective action against coronavirus disease. In this light,we are proposing a novel online platform for the visualisation of epidemiological data incorporating social determinants for understanding the patterns associated with the spread of COVID- 19. The current AI computational platform combines modelling methodologies along with temporal, geospatial visualisation of COVID-19 data, providing real-time sharing of graphic analytical simulation of vulnerable hotspots of recurrent (nowcasting) and emergent (forecasting) infections visualised on a spatiotemporal scale on geoportals. The proposed study will be a secondary data analysis of primary data accessed from the national portal (Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR)) incorporating 766 districts in India. Epidemiological data related to spatiotemporal visualisation of the demographic spread of COVID-19 will be displayed using a compartmental socio-epidemiological model, reproduction number R, epi-curve diagrams, as well as choropleth maps for different levels of administrative and development units at the district levels.

Explanation of the Research in Layperson’s Terms

The rapid spread of COVID-19 required quick and coordinated action. To aid the process, we have created a new online platform to help visualise COVID-19 data, including social factors that affect its spread. Our platform uses advanced computer models and shows COVID-19 data over time and across locations. It allows real-time sharing of visual analyses, highlighting areas at risk for current and future infections. The effectiveness of the platform lies in the fact that it is not limited to COVID-19. It can be suitably modified and employed for capturing similar trends for any future pandemic.

Title of the Research in the Citation Format

Priya Ranjan, Dhruva Nandi, Karuna Nidhi Kaur, Rohan Rajiv, Kumar Dron Shrivastav, Anirban Ghosh, Anuj Deshpande, Sibendu Samanta, Rajiv Janardhanan, “An Indigenous Computational Platform for Nowcasting and Forecasting Non-Linear Spread of COVID-19 across the Indian Sub-continent: A Geo-Temporal Visualization of Data”, Procedia Computer Science, Volume 235, 2024, Pages 496-505, ISSN 1877-0509,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.procs.2024.04.049

Practical Implementation and Social Implications Associated

As mentioned earlier, the platform can be used to present real-time data analysis and identify emerging and current hotspots of the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the beauty or robustness of the platform lies in the fact that it can be suitably adapted for similar analysis for any future pandemic with minimum effort.

Collaborations

• University of Petroleum and Energy Studies, Energy Acres, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India
• SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre, SRMIST, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu, 603203, India
• Amity Institute of Public Health, Amity University, Noida, Uttar Pradesh, 201303, India

Future Research Plans

The future plan includes improving the visual and graphical presentation of the platform to provide more insightful and intuitive information. Aggregation of data from other international databases would further augment the effectiveness of the platform by not limiting it to only the national scenario.

Link to the Article

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In a recent development, Dr Sanjay Kumar, Assistant Professor in the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, along with a team comprising N Ujwala, J Yashwanth Sri Ram, J Lakshmi Prasanna Kumar, and K Heman Rai Choudhary, have successfully filed and published an innovative invention in the Patent Office Journal titled “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISCRETE WAVELET TRANSFORM (DWT)-BASED SECURE IMAGE WATERMARKING” with the application number “202441045387”.

This invention holds great promise in the field of digital image security and watermarking. The patented system and method are based on the discrete wavelet transform (DWT), a widely used signal processing technique, to embed secure watermarks into digital images. The application of DWT ensures that the watermarking process is robust and secure, making it suitable for a wide range of applications where image integrity and authenticity need to be ensured.

Dr Sanjay Kumar’s expertise as an Assistant Professor, coupled with the team’s skills and dedication, has resulted in the successful development and patenting of this cutting-edge technology. The “SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR DISCRETE WAVELET TRANSFORM (DWT)-BASED SECURE IMAGE WATERMARKING” promises to be a significant addition to the field of digital image security and watermarking, offering enhanced protection against unauthorised tampering and misuse of digital images. It is expected that this invention will garner attention from industry professionals, researchers, and policymakers, paving the way for its integration into diverse digital imaging systems.

Abstract

Our research introduces a robust image watermarking technique that combines Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) and chaotic map-based encryption. The method analyzes high-frequency sub-bands derived from DWT applied to the blue channel of an RGB image, selecting the block with the highest energy for embedding a grayscale watermark encrypted with the Henon Map. The alpha blending technique is used to integrate the encrypted watermark, ensuring both imperceptibility and robustness. The method achieves an average PSNR of 43.7211 dB and SSIM of 0.9950. The watermark can be extracted by analyzing patterns in the high-frequency component, even after various attacks, using inverse DWT and Henon Map for decryption.

Explanation of the Patent in Layperson’s Terms
Our research focuses on protecting digital images by embedding a hidden watermark that is hard to remove. We use a mathematical method called the Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) to break down an image into different parts and find the best place to hide the watermark. The watermark is further secured by encrypting it with a technique called the Henon Map. Our method ensures that the watermark remains invisible to the naked eye while being resistant to tampering. This means the watermark can be detected and recovered even if the image is altered.

Practical Implementation and the Social Implications

The primary application of our research is in protecting the ownership and integrity of digital images. This technique can be used by photographers, artists, and digital content creators to ensure their work is not copied or altered without permission. By embedding a secure, invisible watermark, they can prove ownership and detect unauthorised use. Additionally, this method can be applied in sensitive fields such as medical imaging and legal documents where tamper detection is crucial.

Collaborations

This research was conducted by the Visual Information Processing Lab at the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, SRM University AP, Guntur, India. The team comprised Nadella Ujwala, Sanjay Kumar, Jayyavarapu Yaswanth Sri Ram, Jetti Lakshmi Prasanna Kumar, and Katragadda Heman Rai Choudhary.

Future Research Plans

Our future research will focus on enhancing the watermarking technique’s robustness against more sophisticated attacks, exploring real-time applications in video watermarking, and developing methods to embed multiple watermarks in a single image. We also aim to reduce the computational complexity to make the algorithm more efficient for practical applications.

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