Nokia launches first device with Urdu language capability in India

NEW DELHI, INDIA: Nokia announced the launch of Nokia 114 with Urdu language capability - the first ever device with Urdu language option in the country. The launch is a part of Nokia's strategy of democratizing the reach and benefits of mobile telephony for consumers.

Nokia 114, a feature phone with Urdu language capability was launched at an event by Kapil Sibal, Honourable Minister of Communications and Information Technology along with P. Balaji, MD,Nokia India in Delhi. The Honourable Minister handed over the first Nokia 114 with Urdu capabilities to Muzaffar Ali, noted film-maker, poet, a revivalist and a social worker.

Nokia is the first company to introduce regional language content in 11 Indian languages since 2008- Hindi, Malayalam, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Gujarati, Bengali, Oriya, Assamese, Punjabi, and Marathi. It is the first company to introduce an in house app called Akshar for the Asha Touch range of affordable smartphones. Akshar supports 11 Indian languages and allows consumers to interact in their local language.

Launching the Nokia 114 with Urdu language support, Honourable Minister of Communications and Information Technology, Kapil Sibal said: "India today has one of the largest Urdu speaking populations in the world. The proliferation of Urdu language is deep rooted in our culture and we would like to connect this language to internet and mobile telephony like English. I would like to thank Nokia for being at the forefront of launching something unique which will benefit the over 15 crore Urdu speaking people in India."