| Working on Computers in Hindi | |
| AaAao ihndI maoM ilaKoM. |
"Shusha" is not just true a type font but it is also
a system of keyboard layout. I call this layout Roman Hindi. In
this system you just type "papa" to write "papa"
in hindi and "AaAao"
("come" in hindi) is "AaAao".
The key board used is very much the standard english key board and normally no stickers need be fixed as the system is very simple to remember. If one is familiar with keyboard and knows hindi it will only take 25/30 minutes to know this system of typing. Most character are mapped on to their english equivalents/near equivalents, e.g., sa is "sa" and ca is "ch" etc.. One has to learn the "matrain"; "choti ee" (i.e., i ) is "small I" and is typed before the next character and "badi ee" (i.e., I ) is "Capital I" and is typed after the character on which they apply as can be seen in the above hindi sentence where we have typed "ihndI" to write "hindi" in devnagiri. kumaar is typed as "kumaar". Matrians for chota and bada "Oo" (i.e., ] & }) are mapped to small & capital U. Detailed character mapping is in file Key_map.doc.
One has to be familiar with the keyboard to be able to provide
type on a computer. It is not very difficult to remember one keyboard
layout and most people working on computers are familiar with
it. Problem comes when you have remember two keyboards one to
type in English and another to type in Hindi. Remembering two
keyboards is really difficult and confusing for most of the users.
As a result of this they often keep working only in English. In
case they have to send letters in "Rajbhasha" then they pass on
hindi typing work to "Rajbhasha Section".
"Shusha" uses the english keyboard for mapping hindi
alphabets. Hindi characters are mapped to their corresponding
english equivalents/near equivalents. As a result a major part
of the layout is obvious to most people who know Hindi and are
familiar with English keyboard. They have to remember only a few
keys. This system would enable anyone knowing english keyboard
and Hindi language to be able to learn hindi typing in 25/30 minutes
time.
This system was developed by me around December 1995 while working at Railway Staff College when the then Principal Mr. RK Bhansali insisted that all members of college must also work in Rajbhasha. This system was tried with different people during the next 15 months or so. It has been freely made available on the internet since March 1997. It was found that people who have to work in two languages (English & Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati or Gurumukhi) take no time to learn using this system.