KITS : Kislaya IT Services
KITS – Kislaya IT Services began its journey in 1995, at a time when the computer revolution was only beginning to reach India. Personal computers were slowly entering homes and offices, and internet connectivity was extremely limited and slow. Despite these technological constraints, our vision from the very beginning was clear: to create digital content, software solutions, websites, and technology services that could be useful for everyday users and local communities.
In those early years, access to global expertise and collaboration was not easy. Resources were limited, technology was evolving rapidly, and learning new tools often required patience, experimentation, and determination. However, these challenges also shaped the innovative spirit that defines KITS today.
A Historic Challenge – Creating the First Kurukh Script Font
In 1998, KITS accepted a challenge that would later become a historic milestone in the digital development of the Kurukh language.
At that time, the Kurukh community in India had a rich spoken language but no widely used script for digital writing. Around the same period, a passionate group of scholars and young intellectuals were developing a new script for Kurukh called “Tolong Siki.”
One day, Dr. Narayan Oraon, the leader of the script development team, along with Father Pratap Toppo, a respected intellectual from the RC Mission Church, visited us. They explained the importance of the newly created script and shared their struggle to find someone capable of developing a digital font for it. They had traveled across the country seeking help, but the cost of font development at that time was extremely high.
During those years, I was publishing a weekly IT magazine for a local newspaper. The magazine had become quite popular among readers, especially young people interested in technology. It was this publication that led Dr. Oraon and Father Toppo to approach me with their request.
Font design in the late 1990s—especially without prior experience—was a highly complex technical task. Still, I assured them that if the Tolong Siki team was ready to support the process, I would make every possible effort to develop the font.
Their faces reflected hope.
And I, Kislaya, began working on what would become one of the most meaningful technological challenges of my career.
Developing the First Tolong Siki Font
At that time, internet speeds were extremely slow, and learning font technology required long nights of study, experimentation, and persistence. Accessing technical information itself was a challenge. Yet the commitment had been made, and the mission had begun.
After nearly one year of continuous effort alongside other professional work, the font was finally developed.
The font was named “Kelly Tolong.”
“Kelly” is the name of my daughter, and the font became a symbolic blend of family inspiration and cultural preservation.
With this, the first digital font for the Tolong Siki script was born.
Impact on Kurukh Language and Literature
Even before the script received official recognition in Unicode, Kelly Tolong played a significant role in promoting the Kurukh language in written form. Using this font, thousands of books—especially educational textbooks—have already been published in the Kurukh language.
Today, Tolong Siki has been included in the Unicode standard, and the Kelly Tolong font is expected to become fully available worldwide as a Unicode font in the near future, enabling broader digital use across devices, software, and platforms.
Our Continuing Vision
The story of Kelly Tolong reflects the core philosophy of KITS – Kislaya IT Services:
- Supporting local languages and cultures through technology
- Building practical digital solutions for real communities
- Turning challenges into innovation
From the early days of limited technology to today’s modern digital ecosystem, our commitment remains the same — to develop meaningful digital tools, software, and creative solutions that empower people and communities.
We sincerely hope that Kislaya IT Services will continue to serve society through technology and innovation for many years to come.
Thank you for taking the time to learn about our journey.