Natyasutra Online

India witnessed a digital revolution of monumental proportions in June 1998 when Kerala’s Chief Minister, Sri. E K Nayanar launched India’s first cross-platform CD-ROM built for commercial use. The disc was the culmination of a two-year mission that began in 1996. Titled ‘Kerala; The Green Symphony’, it was a top-to-bottom synergized effort to launch a visual product that encapsulates the beauty of Kerala. Invis Multimedia rose to the occasion and aimed at building an indigenous offering that would be accessible on both Windows and Macintosh devices. A young consortium delivered a project that was the first of its kind and set the benchmark for digital innovation in Kerala’s fledgling tourism sector.

The Green Symphony combines an interactive user interface with clever animation to showcase destinations, activities and research sites within Kerala. Within two years, Green Symphony’s updated version was released, with even more additional data points for laymen and academics alike. In the pre-internet Google Maps era, this disc was a virtual assistant for all who wished to learn more about Kerala and India. It has even been used as educational material in foreign universities and as an authentic source on a tourist hotbed.

Green Symphony’s true legacy was in showing the Tourism industry in India the immense potential of Information Technology. It ensured that states across the country began adopting this model on mission mode. It provided a massive boost to tourism, plus helped in creating a healthy database of the flora, fauna, geographic wonders and historical sites of Kerala. The disc medium, especially in a time when cloud servers did not exist commercially, made it a valued resource and souvenir for all who got access to a copy.

The accolades for Green Symphony have piled up over the year. It was immediately picked up and sponsored by the Tourism Department of Kerala upon release. It is the largest-selling CD-ROM about any Indian state in history. It also won the prestigious Pacific Asia Travel Association award for Best CD-ROM. It was among the digital projects that were released in foreign languages as well, with users getting access in German, French and Japanese. The reviews from esteemed users below are the final cherry on the cake for this remarkable venture.