Category Archives: Google India Blog

The Official Google Blog for India

Next Junction: Explore Indian Railways with Google Arts & Culture

https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RB7SQNGLq2k/W63x1FCQyZI/AAAAAAAAAzc/RH1YgyrRQk43fEXIk-1QwAqfrjjUDWLdACLcBGAs/s640/image1.png Simon Rein Program Manager Google Arts & Culture
Over 151,000 kilometres of track, 7,000 stations, 1.3 million employees and 160 years of history. Indian Railways is one of the most celebrated railway networks in the world. A few months ago, we celebrated the 400th Indian train station connecting to the internet with Google Station, our public Wi-Fi program. Today, we’re bringing Indian Railways’ heritage and sights to the entire world. The most gorgeous architecture, iconic trains and charismatic personalities of Indian Railways can be found on Google Arts & Culture.


The first rail journey in India, a 14-coach train from Bombay to Thane in 1853 ushered in a new era of an India connected by track, rendering previously remote villages accessible. A century and a half later, just as trains once opened passages across the subcontinent, Google Arts & Culture’s new project  “The Railways — Lifeline of a Nation” is making these passages accessible for the world to experience.


Anyone can now explore India’s railways in unprecedented detail with over 100 exhibitions that bring together over 3,000 images, over 150 videos and more than 150 iconic locations captured across India. Zoom into ultra-high resolution images made with our Art Camera, like maps of the East Indian Railways that the British used to connect Calcutta with the North West Provinces; get a 360 degree look around the workshops of cardboard rail model enthusiasts; or take a behind the scenes peek at Darjeeling loco shed.

Discover the architecture of India’s most iconic train stations, including this Victorian Gothic stunner—the Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj Terminus in Mumbai

Watch how a railway inspired the making of a hit Bollywood movie

Go behind the scenes and watch how Indian Railways employees, like veteran technician Ganey Khawas keep the trains running


We invite everyone to take an online journey with us to see the breathtaking sights of India’s railways on the Google Arts & Culture’s online platform and the free Google Arts & Culture mobile app on iOS or Android.

By Simon Rein, Program Manager, Google Arts & Culture

Improving Search for the next 20 years

https://storage.googleapis.com/gweb-uniblog-publish-prod/images/BLR_-_Koshys_1_1.max-1000x1000.jpg Ben Gomes VP Search, News and Assistant
Growing up in India, there was one good library in my town that I had access to—run by the British Council.  It was modest by western standards, and I had to take two buses just to get there. But I was lucky, because for every child like me, there were many more who didn’t have access to the same information that I did. Access to information changed my life, bringing me to the U.S. to study computer science and opening up huge possibilities for me that would not have been available without the education I had.
Ben's library
The British Council Library in my hometown.


When Google started 20 years ago, our mission was to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. That seemed like an incredibly ambitious mission at the time—even considering that in 1998 the web consisted of just 25 million pages (roughly the equivalent of books in a small library).
Fast forward to today, and now we index hundreds of billions of pages in our index—more information than all the libraries in the world could hold. We’ve grown to serve people all over the world, offering Search in more than 150 languages and over 190 countries.
Through all of this, we’ve remained grounded in our mission. In fact, providing greater access to information is as core to our work today as it was when we first started. And while almost everything has changed about technology and the information available to us, the core principles of Search have stayed the same.
  • First and foremost, we focus on the user. Whether you’re looking for recipes, studying for an exam, or finding information on where to vote, we’re focused on serving your information needs.
  • We strive to give you the most relevant, highest quality information as quickly as possible. This was true when Google started with the Page Rank algorithm—the foundational technology to Search. And it’s just as true today.
  • We see billions of queries every day, and 15 percent of queries are ones we’ve never seen before. Given this scale, the only way to provide Search effectively is through an algorithmic approach. This helps us not just solve all the queries we’ve seen yesterday, but also all the ones we can’t anticipate for tomorrow.
  • Finally, we rigorously test every change we make. A key part of this testing is the rater guidelines which define our goals in search, and which are publicly available for anyone to see. Every change to Search is evaluated by experimentation and by raters using these guidelines. Last year alone, we ran more than 200,000 experiments that resulted in 2,400+ changes to search. Search will serve you better today than it did yesterday, and even better tomorrow.
As Google marks our 20th anniversary, I wanted to share a first look at the next chapter of Search, and how we’re working to make information more accessible and useful for people everywhere. This next chapter is driven by three fundamental shifts in how we think about Search:
    Underpinning each of these are our advancements in AI, improving our ability to understand language in ways that weren’t possible when Google first started. This is incredibly exciting, because over 20 years ago when I studied neural nets at school, they didn’t actually work very well...at all!
    But we’ve now reached the point where neural networks can help us take a major leap forward from understanding words to understanding concepts. Neural embeddings, an approach developed in the field of neural networks, allow us to transform words to fuzzier representations of the underlying concepts, and then match the concepts in the query with the concepts in the document. We call this technique neural matching. This can enable us to address queries like: “why does my TV look strange?” to surface the most relevant results for that question, even if the exact words aren’t contained in the page. (By the way, it turns out the reason is called the soap opera effect).
    Finding the right information about my TV is helpful in the moment. But AI can have much more profound effects. Whether it’s predicting areas that might be affected in a flood, or helping you identify the best job opportunities for you, AI can dramatically improve our ability to make information more accessible and useful.
    I’ve worked on Search at Google since the early days of its existence. One of the things that keeps me so inspired about Search all these years is our mission and how timeless it is. Providing greater access to information is fundamental to what we do, and there are always more ways we can help people access the information they need. That’s what pushes us forward to continue to make Search better for our users. And that’s why our work here is never done.

    Posted by Ben Gomes, VP, Search, News and Assistant

    Keeping people safe with AI-enabled flood forecasting

    https://storage.googleapis.com/gweb-uniblog-publish-prod/original_images/Flood_Forecast.gif Yossi Matias VP Engineering
    For 20 years, Google Search has provided people with the information they need, and in times of crisis, access to timely, actionable information is often crucial. Last year we launched SOS Alerts on Search and Maps to make emergency information more accessible. Since then, we’ve activated SOS Alerts in more than 200 crisis situations, in addition to tens of thousands of Google Public Alerts, which have been viewed more than 1.5 billion times.
    Floods are devastating natural disasters worldwide—it’s estimated that every year, 250 million people around the world are affected by floods, also costing billions of dollars in damages. Flood forecasting can help individuals and authorities better prepare to keep people safe, but accurate forecasting isn’t currently available in many areas. And the warning systems that do exist can be imprecise and non-actionable, resulting in far too many people being underprepared and under informed before a flood happens.
    To help improve awareness of impending floods, we're using AI and significant computational power to create better forecasting models that predict when and where floods will occur, and incorporating that information into Google Public Alerts. A variety of elements—from historical events, to river level readings, to the terrain and elevation of a specific area—feed into our models. From there, we generate maps and run up to hundreds of thousands of simulations in each location. With this information, we’ve created river flood forecasting models that can more accurately predict not only when and where a flood might occur, but the severity of the event as well.
    flood forecast
    These images depict a flood simulation of a river in Hyderabad, India. The left side uses publicly available data while the right side uses Google data and technology. Our models contain higher resolution, accuracy, and up-to-date information.


    We started these flood forecasting efforts in India, where 20 percent of global flood-related fatalities occur. We’re partnering with India’s Central Water Commission to get the data we need to roll out early flood warnings, starting with the Patna region. The first alert went out earlier this month after heavy rains in the region.
    alert
    Flood alert shown to users in the Patna region.


    We’re also looking to expand coverage to more countries, to help more people around the world get access to these early warnings, and help keep them informed and safe.

    Posted by Yossi Matias, VP, Engineering

    Sigtuple from India shines at Google’s first Demo Day Asia

    https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/7XukllUFzvjjuJajidKLCyw4C3QJNU0wKPYidSsUgw2UXE3Ro9oY-ITmdN2tYs5-5jBYCUUCvsgA5rpIGOIqkydnqlkg_VqPKezIHTp6HdKOgNBq6OlC23uIZ02OjsNq6hLSYetT Michael Kim Partnerships Manager Google for Entrepreneurs
    Wins Judges Choice awards for their work in AI to support healthcare systems in India


    Six months ago, we announced Demo Day Asia, starting a search for the best startups in the region. We received hundreds of applications from entrepreneurs across Asia-Pacific. It was tough, but 10 outstanding founders were chosen as finalists. This week, we brought them to Shanghai to help hone their presentations about their businesses. Then, we put them on stage before our Demo Day judges and an audience of top international investors, and watched them wow the crowd with their incredible products.
    The judges Jenny Lee, Managing Partner at GGV Capital; Zheng Qing Sheng Partner at Sequoia Capital China; Plern Tee Suraphongchai, Partner at Ventura Capital; and Bradley Horowitz, Vice President of Product Management at Google had the hard choice of picking one winner from an outstanding pool of companies.


    And the Judges’ Choice Award was given to SigTuple from India for their work in using artificial intelligence to support the healthcare system in India. With less than one doctor for every thousand people in the country, medical practitioners can be very busy! To lighten their load, Apurv Anand and Rohit Pandey founded SigTuple in 2015 to make AI-powered products that help doctors analyze medical data and support diagnoses.


    “It's really wonderful to be recognized at the first Google Demo Day Asia! This one is all for our team back home. This award is dedicated to the entire SigTuple family. SigTuple is what it is today because all of us aspired to make a huge social impact. ” Apurv Anand, Co-Founder SigTuple


    The audience in Shanghai was also given a chance to vote for their favorite startup. The Audience Choice award went to Marham from Pakistan. Asma Salman Omer established her digital healthcare platform in Pakistan three years ago to help people find doctors and other medical care specialists in Lahore, Islamabad and Karachi.


    The Demo Day Asia journey isn’t over yet. Every finalist still has a chance for success following their presentations on this global stage. Startups from our past eight Demo Days have raised over $279M since 2014, and startups in our Google for Entrepreneurs network have raised over $1.8B in funding and created 20,000 new jobs globally.


    We came to Shanghai to connect the region’s startups with top investors. We left amazed by the world-class quality of its entrepreneurs. These founders are proof that the startup ecosystem is truly alive and thriving in Asia-Pacific, and we’re more motivated than ever before to support more startups here to realize their incredible visions and solve big problems.


    Posted by Michael Kim, Partnerships Manager, Google for Entrepreneurs

    A year already! Time flies when the journey is exciting! And we owe it to you

    https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/VjaWsOmprKa_rGROatIDQETHASwn3ZDpGlC0DO15DNDY-LQrAFz2xsR8crMYEnTFwuhDHt_icYKQgdAtchfXSCy6O--NSgV8yt8PIoE-iKqAcjsUBh5sm5wqFkaX0K6SmBcD2yOe Caesar Sengupta Vice President Payments and Next Billion Users




    On September 18, 2017, we launched Google Pay in India (then known as Tez). We set out with a mission: make digital payments simple. But this journey would not have been possible without you, the 25 million monthly active Google Pay users and 1.2 million businesses in India, who have responded wholeheartedly and helped us move forward.


    From Kanyakumari to Mandvi to Dimapur, you are using Google Pay for your bills, your rent, the chaiwallah, the plumber, and even your bus rides. Or you’re simply sending money home or splitting bills with your friends. Google Pay has enabled over 860 million transactions in the last year — safely and securely. And if you used Tez mode, powered by Google’s Audio QR technology, you sent money without sharing your number or bank account. Google Pay always has users’ privacy in mind, and you will always be in control of your data. We keep you informed about what data we collect, how it’s used, and why. And we build powerful data controls into your Google Account, so you can choose the privacy settings that are right for you.





    Security is a key part of Google Pay. Google’s expertise in security and machine learning backs every transaction, and it’s working 24/7 to help detect spam, fraud, prevent hacking, and verify and protect the identity of every user. Your account is also protected by your phone security safeguards such as passcodes or fingerprint IDs, as well as a Google PIN code. And if you ever need help, our customer service team is available all day, every day by phone or chat support.


    We owe a big thank you to the banking industry for believing in us, especially our four payment service provider partners, Axis Bank, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and the State Bank of India who came on board this journey early on. We made history together by building a first-of-its-kind, multiple payment service providers (MSPs) platform. And of course a huge thank you to the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) for creating the infrastructure that enabled this. Since the launch of Google Pay, India’s monthly UPI transactions have grown 18X to 312M in August— making India one of the world’s leading innovators in digital payments.




    It’s been quite a journey since Prime Minister Modi and IT Minister Shri RS Prasad called on Google to support digital payments and financial inclusion in India and a year since the launch of Tez by the Finance Minister Shri Arun Jaitley. But there is a lot more to be done. Barely a 100 million or so Indians are using digital payments. We have over a billion more Indians to empower. That will take a lot of hard work, deep investment and the best technology and ideas from India and around the world.


    We are excited to continue working with the government and industry players to innovate and bring the benefits of a digital India to everyone.

    Posted by Caesar Sengupta, Vice President, Payments and Next Billion Users, Google

    Neighbourly app adds new features and expands to five more cities

    https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/bkf2EZuqLUi6jTjiNjEanBCMwiHH4mBw0pUqJHqpEEA84LFpKFlHHBA7d6W_2osOoNhUK3Yf3qkWUOvJ9s2beeqMzMRJfChazpauOelZD5wO6fq1BLuG0Jf9_m5GlVbsHGXLYj1z Ben Fohner Product Manager Next Billion Users
    Get trusted, neighbourhood answers in Ahmedabad, Coimbatore, Mysore, Vizag, and Kota


    Which garage do you take your car for repairs?
    Is there any one doing high pressure cleaning in the building premises?
    Which general physician is the best in our sector?  
    Any good English and Maths tuition class for a second standard kid?


    Questions like these are why we launched Neighbourly -- so neighbours would have a helpful, human and local way to ask and answer questions and keep up with their neighbourhood.


    During the last three months, we’ve been excited to see how neighbourhoods, big and small, are using the app across Mumbai and Jaipur. From what we’ve seen, neighbours from different backgrounds and ages are eager to help each other by answering questions. In fact, some of our “Top Neighbours” answer over 100 questions per week!
    Neighbours value and want to hear answers based on personal experience. While topics like local shopping, fitness inquires, food recommendations or tuition centers are always popular, we’ve also seen questions that are very local and specific to the neighbourhood or timely in relation to current events, such as the heavy rains in Mumbai or the Rakhi (रक्षाबंधन) festival in Jaipur.


    Today, we’re making the app available in every neighbourhood across Ahmedabad, Coimbatore, Mysore, Vizag, and Kota.
    Speak your question or answer in English or in eight Indian languages.


    We’re also releasing a new version of the app with three updates:
    Enhanced voice input -- Since 20% of users tap to speak a question, we’ve improved the voice input experience with better controls so you can ask and respond to questions in your spoken language.

    Quick replies -- When you ask a question, sometimes you want to clarify something about an answer you received. That’s now possible with our inline reply feature.

    Similar answers -- Some neighbours have asked a question and received multiple similar answers. We’ve developed a way to detect and group similar answers so you can find them easier.


    The Neighbourly Beta app is available on the Google Play Store for all smartphones running Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) and higher. If Neighbourly isn’t available in your city yet, join our waitlist and invite your neighbours. We’ll be expanding to more neighbourhoods across India soon.

    By Ben Fohner, Product Manager, Next Billion Users Initiative

    Neighbourly app adds new features and expands to five more cities

    https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/bkf2EZuqLUi6jTjiNjEanBCMwiHH4mBw0pUqJHqpEEA84LFpKFlHHBA7d6W_2osOoNhUK3Yf3qkWUOvJ9s2beeqMzMRJfChazpauOelZD5wO6fq1BLuG0Jf9_m5GlVbsHGXLYj1z Ben Fohner Product Manager Next Billion Users
    Get trusted, neighbourhood answers in Ahmedabad, Coimbatore, Mysore, Vizag, and Kota


    Which garage do you take your car for repairs?
    Is there any one doing high pressure cleaning in the building premises?
    Which general physician is the best in our sector?  
    Any good English and Maths tuition class for a second standard kid?


    Questions like these are why we launched Neighbourly -- so neighbours would have a helpful, human and local way to ask and answer questions and keep up with their neighbourhood.


    During the last three months, we’ve been excited to see how neighbourhoods, big and small, are using the app across Mumbai and Jaipur. From what we’ve seen, neighbours from different backgrounds and ages are eager to help each other by answering questions. In fact, some of our “Top Neighbours” answer over 100 questions per week!
    Neighbours value and want to hear answers based on personal experience. While topics like local shopping, fitness inquires, food recommendations or tuition centers are always popular, we’ve also seen questions that are very local and specific to the neighbourhood or timely in relation to current events, such as the heavy rains in Mumbai or the Rakhi (रक्षाबंधन) festival in Jaipur.


    Today, we’re making the app available in every neighbourhood across Ahmedabad, Coimbatore, Mysore, Vizag, and Kota.
    Speak your question or answer in English or in eight Indian languages.


    We’re also releasing a new version of the app with three updates:
    Enhanced voice input -- Since 20% of users tap to speak a question, we’ve improved the voice input experience with better controls so you can ask and respond to questions in your spoken language.

    Quick replies -- When you ask a question, sometimes you want to clarify something about an answer you received. That’s now possible with our inline reply feature.

    Similar answers -- Some neighbours have asked a question and received multiple similar answers. We’ve developed a way to detect and group similar answers so you can find them easier.


    The Neighbourly Beta app is available on the Google Play Store for all smartphones running Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean) and higher. If Neighbourly isn’t available in your city yet, join our waitlist and invite your neighbours. We’ll be expanding to more neighbourhoods across India soon.

    By Ben Fohner, Product Manager, Next Billion Users Initiative

    Introducing Blog Compass by Google

    https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/HHahOOu4oQmjreOv-YXREXIqAW3AgtrqVXQoXgIT3mlobBmOl0s5Dj-Hmq8n-6QhkiJqZ36VTQCdZzzc8eN-WlhKzrzwl0bL_cuOjumQajZRNI7L-5EHlKDEgbyYUtxQ-0ceQ2JP Dru Knox Product Manager Google Search
    Starting and running a blog can be a challenge even for the most experienced writers. There’s a lot to do — tracking visitor information, engaging readers, monitoring Search engine presence, not to mention finding new topics to write about. Bloggers use multiple services for these tasks, many of which don’t work well together. That’s why today we are launching Blog Compass by Google, which brings everything you need to run your blog into a single place.

    The app, which is currently in open beta, is available in India for English and Hindi speaking users.




    Google wants to organize the world’s information, and that means helping everyone share their voice. Blogs are an important way people can do that, and add to the vitality of the web in India and elsewhere.

    Blog Compass is an app for Android that integrates with WordPress and Blogger.com, two of the largest blogging platforms in India. Once you’ve logged in with your WordPress or Blogger.com account, Blog Compass also connects to Google Analytics and Search Console, letting you see viewer numbers, traffic sources, demographic information, Google Search status, and popular Google searches that lead to your blog,


    Blog Compass also analyzes your post history and the interests you tell it about. Based on this information, Blog Compass is able to provide detailed Google Trends data that is tailored to you and your blog. That can help in finding the next topic to write about. In our initial tests, we have found a majority of bloggers were able to post more often when using Blog Compass.
    Blog Compass is currently in beta mode — we’re still adding features and fixing bugs based on feedback from new users. But if you are interested in helping shape the future of blogging tools in India and around the world, download the app for Android and tell us what you think!


    As the product grows, we will explore support for additional blogging platforms, countries, and languages.

    By Dru Knox, Product Manager, Google Search