[Reader-list] News Items posted on the net on Multipurpose National Identity Cards-52

[Taha Mehmood]

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Ahmedabad/National_I-card_is_NIDs_baby/articleshow/2129810.cms

The Times Of India

Ahmedabad 	

National I-card is NID's baby
18 Jun 2007, 0122 hrs IST, Asha Krishna, TNN

 AHMEDABAD: One of the Central government's most ambitious projects —
the multi-purpose national identity card (MNIC) — has an Ahmedabad
connection. The card, which authenticates details of your birth,
address and nationality and has 16 personal details complete with a
unique identification number, has been designed by National Institute
of Design (NID).

"The registrar general and officials of the census ministry approached
us to work on MNIC's visual elements. After holding discussions at
various levels we finally prepared some eight designs and presented
them before the Union home minister," says Pradyumna Vyas, principal
designer, faculty of designing, NID.

It took the three-member team of Vyas, Rupesh Vyas and Pradeep Nahar
two years and fifty designs before they could finalise on the winning
combination which aptly defined the purpose of the card. "We had to be
extra cautious since the visual elements had to integrate well with
the security concerns and also appeal to the user — the Indian
citizen," said Rupesh Vyas, co-ordinator, information and digital
design.

The biggest challenge was to come up with a design reflecting the
cultural diversity of the country. "We wanted a neutral colour devoid
of any political affiliation. We decided on burgundy since the colour
is embedded in our culture, be it the embroidery of Kutch or
Kanjeevarams of South India." Accommodating chunks of information
without giving it a cluttered look was another challenge.

The card has been distributed in selected parts of New Delhi and is
all set to be extended to other parts of the country. The MNIC, meant
for people aged 18 years and above, it is a means of providing
credible individual identification system
.