Launched in 2002 by Mumbai-based Geodesic Information Systems Limited
(GISL), founded in 1999 by four individuals — Pankaj Kumar, Mahesh
Murthy, Prashant Mulekar and Kiran Kulkarni, it is an interoperable IM
tool, which "enables people to communicate with one another
instantly on different platforms. The product caters to Internet and
mobile phone users alike." For details, check the article* below.

Dr D.C.Misra
September 24, 2007
_____________________________________________________________________
*Talking Tech

With its Mundu IM (instant messaging) software, Geodesic Information
Systems has entered the big league of global communications technology

PARAMITA CHATTERJEE

NOTHING succeeds like the power of a great idea that's just right
for its time. The founders of Geodesic Information Systems Limited
(GISL) too started with this belief. It's no wonder that the company
that grew out of an apartment in Mumbai in 1999, with four individuals
— Pankaj Kumar, Mahesh Murthy, Prashant Mulekar and Kiran Kulkarni
— has been able to withstand the tech meltdown and every other
hurdle that came its way.

Eight years on, GISL, with a headcount of 300 employees and annual
turnover of Rs 167 crore (FY '07) is considered a leading provider
of communication and collaboration products on the Internet and on
mobile phones. Geodesic has developed an integrated information,
communication and entertainment stack for desktops, web and mobile
platforms that's based on instant messaging (IM) and real-time
collaboration. Says Kiran Kulkarni, managing director, GISL, "We
wanted to cash in on India's intelligence potential and break the
notion that our companies cannot create premium software."

Coming from a technology background has definitely helped these
first-time entrepreneurs develop such software in India.

For an organisation that initially sold software and provided
consultancy services to enterprises, the journey has been rather
eventful. "We wanted to so something different and decided to tap
the IM space at a time when most small companies wanted to cash in on
the internet boom," says Kulkarni.

From supplying the IM platform to various enterprises — the Times of
India group's Indiatimes.com was one of the first companies to have
adopted Geodesic's software — the company is today riding on the
success of its own brand Mundu IM. Launched in 2002, this interoperable IM tool
enables people to communicate with one another instantly on different platforms.
The product caters to Internet and mobile phone users alike.

Geodesic has already sold its software to several companies in India,
but what's more phenomenal is that in this short span of time, it
has also been successful in making a mark abroad. Apart from its tieups with
Taiwan-based global electronic major BenQ and Swedish Gothenburg Post, Geodesic
has recently announced a partnership with Mio Technology Limited, a leading
maker of GPS devices. Under this partnership, Mundu IM will be preloaded onto
the Mio DigiWalker A702 GPS PDA phone, which is scheduled for launch in Asia and
Europe by the end of this year. "This tie-up will give us an opportunity to
share Mundu IM with a new crop of users," says Kulkarni. "We are happy to have
brought in this revolution for mobile phone users in India".

To use this software, explains Kulkarni, people with Palm OS, Windows
smart phones and iPhones (Beta) can download the application on their
cell-phones directly from www.mundu.com or Geodesic's partner
websites download.com, motricity.com and palmgear.com. The company has
recently acquired Chandamama to drive content over the Mundu IM
platform. "We are constantly working on partnerships and looking for
companies with business/product synergy to further Geodesic's
prospects in the retail space," says Kulkarni.

Mundu IM has also caught on in India with more than 5 lakh users
currently using this software on their mobile phones. In July 2007,
Mundu Radio was recognised as one of top 100 applications by Webware
– A C|Net property. Also, Mundu released for iPhone has been
acclaimed as one of top applications for the iPhone by tech gurus and
users alike. "Perhaps this is the first time a software made in
India has won such recognition," says Kulkarni.

Geodesic is also the first company in India to have brought Internet
radio to mobile phones. Launched in 2006 last year, the mobile Internet radio
service has brought free access to unlimited music to people on their mobile
phones.

(Source: Chatterji, Parmita (2007): Talking Tech, The Economic Times,
New Delhi, September 24, Monday,
http://epaper.timesofindia.com/daily/skins/ET/navigator.asp?login=drdcmisra/,
accessed: September 24, 2007)

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