Krishna Permi launches free iOS keyboard for 21 Indian languages
Krishna Permi, a Bengaluru developer, created Akshar, a free iOS keyboard app that lets you type in 21 Indian languages.
The idea came when he struggled to help his son with Kannada homework because typing in Kannada on his phone was harder than it should have been.
"I wanted to help my son with his Kannada homework, but I realized typing in Kannada on my phone was harder than it should have been," Permi told LiveMint.
Akshar app offers offline phonetic typing
Akshar converts English text into Indian scripts using phonetic typing, all offline, so your data stays private.
It's powered by AI4Bharat's IndicXlit model from IIT Madras, which Permi tweaked for smooth use on Apple devices.
The app covers major languages like Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and even Sanskrit and Sindhi.
Since launch, Akshar has gained popularity among users in India and abroad; Permi is also exploring the possibility of launching an Android version in the future.