Kathmandu, Jan. 25
Nepal’s digital address system 'Kataho' has received the World Summit
Award (WSA) 2025 under the Smart Settlements and Urbanisation category. This
innovative system was developed by a team of Nepali researchers led by Ram-Laxman,
through Addressgraph Nepal Pvt. Ltd.
The WSA, an international award programme, recognises outstanding
technological innovations that contribute to achieving the United Nations’
Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The announcement was made on Thursday
evening on the WSA's official website. This year’s award ceremony will take place
in Hyderabad, India, from April 6–9.
The Kataho digital address system generates unique address codes for any
location in Nepal. Users can search for an address offline and share its code
verbally within three seconds, thanks to a combination of 400 pre-defined words
and numbers, informed Addressgraph in a statement. To date, more than 10,000
digital address plates have been created using this system, which is freely
available for public use.
"Local governments across Nepal are also utilising Kataho’s
features, including address plates and an Emergency Response Console, which
enables efficient disaster management and information sharing," read the
statement.
According to the WSA, Kataho contributes to six of the UN SDGs.
Earlier in 2022, Nepal’s Nagarik App won the award in the Government and
Citizen Engagement category.
The WSA is a global initiative that highlights and promotes innovative
technologies with a significant impact on local communities while aligning with
the UN SDGs. Each year, exceptional projects from around the world are selected
for awards in various categories.
According to the WSA, winners are chosen through a rigorous process
involving recommendations from national experts in 182 countries, an initial
online jury, and a grand jury interview stage. This year, 40 projects worldwide
have been awarded across different categories.
Published in The Rising Nepal daily on 26 January 2025.
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