Presentation given by Dr Satyakam Phukan as an invitee to speak on the issue of non-representation of Assamese Script in International Standards, at the Fifth Meeting of LITD 20 of the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) the representive body of the Government of India in International Organisation of Standardisation (ISO) on 5th of February 2014, at BIS office New Delhi.

1. ASSAMESE SCRIPT
AND
ISO STANDARDS
Presented
by
Dr Satyakam Phukan
Dr Satyakam Phukan 1
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

2. Dr Satyakam Phukan 2
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

3. Dr Satyakam Phukan 3
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

4. Dr Satyakam Phukan 4
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

5. Dr Satyakam Phukan 5
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

6. ASSAMESE SCRIPT
VOWELS AND DIPHTHONGS
অ a
আ ā
ই i
ঈ i
উ u
ঊ u
ঋ ri
এ e
ঐ ai
ও o
ঔ au
Dr Satyakam Phukan 6
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

7. ASSAMESE SCRIPT
CONSONANTS
Velar plosive Alveolar plosive 3
ক ka
খ kha
গ ga
ঘ gha
� khya 1
ট ta
ত ta
ৎ ta
ড da
দ da
ঢ dha
ধ dha
Dr Satyakam Phukan 7
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

8. ASSAMESE SCRIPT
Alveolar nasal 4 Alveolar approximant
ণ na
ন na
ঞ nya
ৰ ra
ড় ra
ঢ় rha
Alveolar lateral Alveolar fricative
ল la চ sa
ছ sa
জ za
য za
ঝ zha
Dr Satyakam Phukan
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

9. ASSAMESE SCRIPT
Velar nasal Voiceless Velar fricative 2
ঙ nga শ xa
ষ xa
স xa
Bi-Labials Semi-vowels
প pa
ফ pha
ব ba
ভ bha
ম ma
য় ya
ৱ wa
Glotal Fricative
হ ha
Dr Satyakam Phukan 9
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

10. ASSAMESE SCRIPT
SIGNS
◌া ā ি◌ i ◌ী i ◌ু u ◌ূ u
◌ৃ ri ে◌ e ৈ◌ ai �◌া o �◌ৗ au
◌ৗ au (represents Tibeto-Burman sound of many languages of Assam)
Anuswar Bixarga Sandrabindu Urdha-coma 5
◌ং ang ◌ঃ ah ◌ঁ nasal intonation ' "o" intonation
Reph
◌্ Restricts manifestation of the vowel part of a consonant.
Dr Satyakam Phukan 10
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

11. ASSAMESE SCRIPT
NOTES
1 In Sanskrit and most other Indian languages “�”
khya" is considered a conjunct form (LIGATURE),
from the joining of "ka" and "sha" and is pronounced
as "Khsya". In Assamese it is a consonant and is the
last letter of the Assamese alphabet and is
pronounced as "khya".
2 These letters and their pronunciation "xa" is unique
to Assamese, and is a voiceless velar fricative, it is
not present in any other Indian languages except in a
bit different form in the Bhilli dialect. It is same as
the German and Scottish "ch" as used in words like
Bach, Ulrich or Loch. It is represented in the Greek by
the letter "χ" (chi).
Dr Satyakam Phukan 11
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

12. ASSAMESE SCRIPT
NOTES
3 & 4 Assamese like the European Indo-European languages
and unlike the Indian Indo-European languages, do not
have cerebral pronunciations. Therefore Assamese do not
have two forms of ta, tha, da, dha and na.
5 Urdho-coma or the apostrophe is used after a consonant
to change the vowels ending of a consonant from "a" to "o".
For example লৰা = larā and ল'ৰা = lorā , the "o" in this
particular example sounding exactly as like it does in
English note, mote, boat etc. It is represented in the IPA by
"ɔ".
Dr Satyakam Phukan 12
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

13. ASSAMESE SCRIPT
Earliest specimens of Assamese
form of script have been
discovered in areas of Assam
state of India and the
Arakan/Rakhine state of
Myanmar, dating back from the
period, as early as 4th-5th
century AD
Dr Satyakam Phukan 13
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

14. ASSAMESE SCRIPT
Nagajuri Khanikar village inscription
4th-5th Century AD, ASSAM, INDIA
Dr Satyakam Phukan 14
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

15. ASSAMESE SCRIPT
Inscription of Queen of King Nitisandra,
Wethali, Arakan/Rakhine state, Myanmar
5th-6th century AD
Dr Satyakam Phukan 15
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

16. ASSAMESE SCRIPT
Ugratara Temple inscription,
Uzanbazar, Guwahati,Assam, India
early 18th century AD
Dr Satyakam Phukan 16
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

17. ASSAMESE SCRIPT
Shittaung pillar inscription of King Ananda
Sandra, Mrauk-U, Arakan/Rakhine state,
Myanmar, around 8th century AD
Dr Satyakam Phukan 17
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

18. ASSAMESE LANGUAGE IN
ISO
ISO 639-1 Code : “as”
ISO 639-2 Code : “asm”
English name of language : Assamese
French name of Language : Assamais
Dr Satyakam Phukan 18
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

19. ISO 639-1
the alpha-2 code in Codes
for the representation of
names of languages
ISO 639-2
the alpha-3 code
Dr Satyakam Phukan 19
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

20. Dr Satyakam Phukan 20
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

21. ASSAMESE SCRIPT IN
ISCII 1991
Assamese was one among the
scripts included in ISCII 1991
Dr Satyakam Phukan 21
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

22. ASSAMESE SCRIPT IN
ISO STANDARDS
Assamese script excluded from
inclusion in ISO standards for scripts,
namely :
ISO 15924 : Codes for the representation
of names of scripts
ISO 10646 : Defines the The Universal
Character Set (UCS)
ISO 15919 : Transliteration of Indic
scripts to Latin
Dr Satyakam Phukan 22
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

23. WHY ASSAMESE SCRIPT IS
NOT IN ISO STANDARDS
Assamese script “eclipsed” into
Bengali in the Unicode Standard
by Unicode Consortium/Inc in
the name of UNIFICATION.
Because ISO 10646 standard is
synchronised with Unicode
Standard Assamese Script is
excluded there also.
Dr Satyakam Phukan 23
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

24. WHY ASSAMESE SCRIPT IS
“ECLIPSED” INTO BENGALI
IN UNICODE STANDARD
1. Graphical representation of most
of the characters of the Assamese
and Bengali script are similar.
2. Fact that similar looking glyphs
represent differing characters
with differing identities totally
ignored by the proponents of the
Unicode.
Dr Satyakam Phukan 24
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

25. HOW UNICODE COMPENSATED
ASSAMESE SCRIPT “ECLIPSATION” INTO
BENGALI !!!!!
Inclusion of two graphically dissimilar
Assamese script characters into
Unicode/ISO 10646 Bengali code chart by
converting them into Bengali characters.
Assamese letter "ৰ" (Ra) is being
described as Bengali letter "র"(Ro)
with middle diagonal
Assamese letter "ৱ" (Waba) described
as Bengali letter "র"(Ra) with lower
diagonal.
Dr Satyakam Phukan 25
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

26. CONSEQUENCES OF “ECLIPSATION”
OF THE ASSAMESE SCRIPT
Loss of heritage hundreds of years old
Loss of identity of the Assamese Script
Handicaps and disabilities in the
operation of the script
Dr Satyakam Phukan 26
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

27. CONSEQUENCES OF “ECCLIPSATION”
OF THE ASSAMESE SCRIPT
Assamese script missing from all the
ISO standards that are there for scripts
of the world
Except for the ability to type in
computers, most other functions
distorted, disabled or handicapped
Dr Satyakam Phukan 27
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

28. Dr Satyakam Phukan 28
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

29. Dr Satyakam Phukan 29
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

30. Assamese script missing from
the ISO 15919 standard
Since Assamese script is not included
as a distinct script in ISO 15924 and
ISO 10646 Assamese script is not
there in ISO 15919, which is the
Transliteration Standard for Indic
scripts.
So there is no transliteration standard
for Assamese in ISO.
Dr Satyakam Phukan 30
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

31. Assamese script missing from
the ISO 15919 standard
Assamese typed in computers with ISO
10646/Unicode encoding has to be
transliterated as per the Bengali chart of
ISO 15919.
But Assamese differs radically with Bengali
in transliteration
Bengali and most other Indic scripts
conforms to the IAST (International
Alphabet for Sanskrit Transliteration)
ASSAMESE DOES NOT
Dr Satyakam Phukan 31
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

32. IAST
The IAST (International Alphabet for
Sanskrit Transliteration) which is based on
a standard adopted in the International
Congress of Orientalists at Geneva in
1894.
The transliteration differences between the
Assamese and Bengali Scripts are in
reality, differences between Assamese and
Sanskrit rather than with Bengali.
Dr Satyakam Phukan 32
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

33. Bengali chart ISO 15919, it is as per IAST
Dr Satyakam Phukan 33
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

34. Differences between the Assamese
and Sanskrit
Assamese do not have long vowels
ই(ি◌) = ঈ(◌ী) = i
উ(◌ু) = ঊ(◌ূ) = u
The letters corresponding to Sanskrit Palatals are
Assamese Alveolar Fricatives, have no stressed forms
and two characters represent the same sound.
Assamese চ = ছ = sa
Sanskrit চ = ca
Sanskrit ছ = cha
Assamese জ = য = za
Sanskrit জ = ja
য = ya (semi-vowel)
Dr Satyakam Phukan 34
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

35. Differences between the Assamese
and Sanskrit
Assamese do not have the cerebrals or
the retro-flexes
Assamese ট = ত = ta there is no ṭa
Assamese ঠ = থ = tha there is no ṭha
Assamese ড = দ = da there is no ḍa
Assamese ঢ = ধ = dha there is no ḍha
Assamese ণ = ন = na there is no ṇa
Dr Satyakam Phukan 35
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

36. Differences between the Assamese
and Sanskrit
Velar fricative “ x ” is unique to Assamese,
it is represented by three letters of the
Assamese alphabet. This sound is present
in many European Indo-European
languages like Greek, German, Russian
and the Scottish dialect of English and also
Persian
Assamese স = শ = ষ = xa
Dr Satyakam Phukan 36
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

37. Differences between the Assamese
and Sanskrit
In Sanskrit “�” is not considered a letter
but a conjoint form of “ক” joining with “ষ”
and is transliterated as “khsya”. But for
the Assamese, “�” is the last letter of the
Assamese Alphabet and is named and
transliterated as “khya”.
Since it not considered a letter in Sanskrit,
it is not represented in the ISO 10646-1
Standard as a character, hence it is not
there in ISO 15919 as well
Dr Satyakam Phukan 37
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

38. Differences between the Assamese
and Sanskrit
Vowel sign ◌ৗ peculiar to Assamese for
representing “au” sound from Tibeto-Burman
affiliated and influenced languages in Assam
missing in Sanskrit and is misrepresented as a
Length Mark in ISO 10646/Unicode Bengali Chart.
Assamese “Au” is a Vowel sign ◌ৗ
Bengali “Au” is a Length mark ◌ৗ
This vowel sign is missing in ISO 15919
Dr Satyakam Phukan 38
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

39. Dr Satyakam Phukan 39
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

40. SORTING DIABILITY DUE TO
ABSENCE OF THE LETTER“� Khya”
Assamese “� Khya” is the last letter of the
Assamese alphabet but in Bengali the
graphical form “�” is “Kshya” and is a
LIGATURE formed by combination of
ক + ষ =�
Due the absence of the graphical form of the
last letter of the Assamese alphabet, �
(Khya) in ISO 10646/Unicode, proper sorting
operation impossible in the Assamese
Dr Satyakam Phukan 40
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

41. SORTING PROBLEM SCREENSHOTS
Dr Satyakam Phukan 41
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

42. SORTING PROBLEM SCREENSHOTS
Dr Satyakam Phukan 42
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

43. SORTING PROBLEM SCREENSHOTS
Dr Satyakam Phukan 43
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

44. SORTING PROBLEM SCREENSHOTS
“�” Khya comes after Ka “ক” and not at the last
Dr Satyakam Phukan 44
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

45. SORTING PROBLEM SCREENSHOTS
“�” Khya comes after Ka “ক” and not at the last
Dr Satyakam Phukan 45
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

46. SORTING PROBLEM SCREENSHOTS
“�” Khya comes after Ka “ক” and not at the last
Dr Satyakam Phukan 46
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

47. TRANSLATION OF ASSAMESE WEBPAGE
translating between Bengali and English
Dr Satyakam Phukan 47
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

48. TRANSLATION OF ASSAMESE WEBPAGE
Dr Satyakam Phukan 48
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

49. TRANSLATION OF ASSAMESE WEBPAGE
translating between Bengali and English
Dr Satyakam Phukan 49
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

50. SEARCHING IN BROWSER
If the search word contains ৰ or ৱ then all
search results show Assamese contents.
Dr Satyakam Phukan 50
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

51. SEARCHING IN BROWSER
If the search word does not contains ৰ or ৱ then
all search results show mostly Bengali contents.
Dr Satyakam Phukan 51
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

52. DEVELOPMENTS ON THE ISSUE
ISO approached by me for inclusion of Assamese
script in ISO 15919 on 21st of July 2012
ISO refers the matter BIS on the 2nd of October
2012
BIS asks me to submit a Proposal
Proposal submitted to the BIS by me on the 24th of
November 2012
Dr Satyakam Phukan 52
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

53. DEVELOPMENTS ON THE ISSUE
Issue of Assamese script non-inclusion in ISO
standards was discussed in the meeting of the MSD of
BIS on the 14th of December 2012 and I was informed
of the same. The matter thence handed over to LITD
division of BIS, excerpts below
Dr Satyakam Phukan 53
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

54. PROBLEMS IN ENCODING ASSAMESE
SCRIPT SEPARATELY FROM BENGALI
1.Adamant attitude on
part of the Unicode
Consoritum
2.Duplication of graphical
forms
Dr Satyakam Phukan 54
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

55. Adamant attitude on part of
the Unicode Consoritum
For a script to be included in ISO 10646 it needs
to have its name registered in ISO 15924.
ISO 15924 Registry is run by Unicode
Consortium/Inc and Mr Michael Everson is its
Registrar.
Mr Michael Everson is adamant in not allowing a
separate place for Assamese script. Comments of
Mr Everson in Unicode Forum shown in next
slides
Dr Satyakam Phukan 55
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

56. Comments of Mr Everson
• BENGALI LETTER RA WITH MIDDLE DIAGONAL
could be named ASSAMESE LETTER RO. But it
hasn't been, because Bengali is spoken by 230
million speakers, and Assamese is spoken by
13 million. Moreover, the script was encoded
about two decades ago, because it had been
brought in because of its standardization in
ISCII.
• Do you really think it is unfair that, 230 million
speakers vs 13 million speakers, the name
Bengali has been preferred? Well, tough. Grow
up. YOU DON'T KNOW HOW LUCKY YOU ARE to
have your script already encoded.
Dr Satyakam Phukan 56
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

57. Comments of Mr Everson
I am going to say this ten times, so that you understand it:
The block name and character names cannot be changed.
The block name and character names cannot be changed.
The block name and character names cannot be changed.
The block name and character names cannot be changed.
The block name and character names cannot be changed.
The block name and character names cannot be changed.
The block name and character names cannot be changed.
The block name and character names cannot be changed.
The block name and character names cannot be changed.
The block name and character names cannot be changed.
Dr Satyakam Phukan 57
Repeating the same thing ten timesDrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

58. DUPLICATION IN ISO 10646
There is substantial duplication of graphical forms or
glyphs between different scripts encoded earlier in the
Unicode Standard.
Among the European scripts such duplication is quite
apparent between Latin, Cyrillic and the Greek scripts,
the number of such duplications which are at times
triplications is substantial.
Although the glyphs are identical the encoded
characters connected to these identical glyphs are
having different Unique Codes.
This duplication has generated lacunae for
unscrupulous elements to pursue nefarious activities
like phishing on the Internet
Dr Satyakam Phukan 58
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

59. DUPLICATION IN ISO 10646
Dr Satyakam Phukan 59
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

60. DUPLICATION IN ISO 10646
Dr Satyakam Phukan 60
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

61. DUPLICATION IN ISO 10646
Dr Satyakam Phukan 61
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

62. DUPLICATION IN ISO 10646
Dr Satyakam Phukan 62
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

63. DUPLICATION IN ISO 10646
Dr Satyakam Phukan 63
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

64. VARIATIONS OF SOUNDS AMONG DIFFERENT
LANGUAGES USING THE LATIN SCRIPT
Dr Satyakam Phukan 64
There is considerable variations of sounds
of the same character among various
language of Europe using the Latin script
like the English, French, Spanish etc.
All these languages do not have their own
script and are borrowers of the Latin script,
hence their case cannot be equated with
Assamese. The Assamese is a primordial
script and historically linked to the
Assamese language.
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

65. SOLUTION FOR
ASSAMESE SCRIPT ISSUE
Dr Satyakam Phukan 65
Problems arising out of duplication is the responsibility
the Government of Assam and the Assamese people.
Government of Assam has already written to the DEITy for
a separate slot for Assamese script.
Since duplication has been allowed for Latin, Cyrillic and
Greek. Disallowing duplication for Assamese and Bengali
will be an injustice and will mean adoption of double
standard.
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

66. SOLUTION FOR
ASSAMESE SCRIPT ISSUE
Dr Satyakam Phukan 66
Encoding of the Assamese script separately
from Bengali is the only viable solution
Application of patching software for all the
disabilities will further complicate the
functionality of Assamese script.
Without a separate Assamese script in ISO
15924 and ISO 10646 there cannot be any
entry of Assamese script in ISO 15919
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan

67. Dr Satyakam Phukan 67
DrSatyakam
Phukan
rSatyakam
Phukan