Invis develops web-based video encyclopedia of India

New Delhi, Dec 2 (UNI) Invis Multimedia Private Limited, a leading body in audiovisual production, has developed an innovative web-based video encyclopedia of India.

The website -- www.indiavideo.org -- will have detailed sections on each state and Union Territory of India. The video clips will be supplemented with text in English language.

Kerala is the first state that has been covered in the project with video clips on other states and Union Territories, which will go online by April 2008.

The project, developed in conjunction with UNESCO New Delhi, will highlight the unique culture, heritage and geography of India.

Ms Minja Yang, Director of the UNESCO New Delhi Office, says the unique objective behind this project is to develop an atlas of India that covers not just its geographical features but its cultural ones too.

''India is a vast country with an extraordinarily ancient and diverse cultural heritage. We are very pleased to partner with Invis Multimedia in the creation of a format that is easily accessible world-wide and that will raise awareness of the importance of safeguarding India's heritage,'' she points out.

The encyclopedia will have detailed sections on each state and Union Territory of India. The video clips will be supplemented with text in English language.

The uploading of video clips from other parts of India will begin along with formal launching of the site in April 2008.

According to Ms Yang, a video encyclopedia is particularly suited to depicting the full range of India's culture, encompassing landscapes and buildings, rituals, performing art, traditional crafts and other traditional knowledge on nature.

India is a signatory to the Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural expressions and the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which were both promulgated by UNESCO.

Invis Multimedia has extensive experience in the development of interactive materials for tourism, including CD-ROMs and DVDs on Kerala, Ayurveda, and Indian classical dance, some of which have been honoured with the Tourism Ministry's National Award of Excellence.

UNI