Tell us who you are
Alifya Thingna
Where around the world are you based?
India
What do you do in the localization/globalization world?
I recently co-founded a language technology startup in India that disrupts the supply chain with a crowdsourced platform.
Why did you join this amazing community?
Because I have long been passionate about women empowerment, new-age technology, the idea of women supporting each other & learning without barriers and hierarchies. My role as the WL (India) Social Outreach Manager definitely gives me a chance to dive deeper in the L10n world, use the social media channels to tell more people about our industry.
What would you say is the greatest challenge facing our industry?
Automation is currently threatening nearly every industry, without a doubt. Machine translations have been laughed at for the longest time, but let’s face it, they are getting better, especially when English is involved. Indian languages still have a way to go, but that’s actually what our startup is about. We decided to embrace the change, stop denying the facts and build a solution on it.
Where would you like to see localization in 5 years?
I know for a fact that voice (& speech technology) is the next goldmine in the localization industry, and while I can only be hopeful at this point, I would love to see the L10n industry impact more women’s lives, giving them more WFH options especially in a tradition-heavy country like India. Overall, it would be nice for clients and more people to also be aware of the importance of communication, language nuances, especially in a marketing-centric world where ‘content is king’. Subtitles are well on their way and are getting increasingly better – thanks to Netflix and Prime investing in their own L10n teams. That said, we should see a rise in voiceovers and voice projects in the near future.
Tell us something unique and fun about yourself.
I see myself as a culture enthusiast, who has always loved languages, writing and seeing how people are emotionally affected and intellectually influenced by words. In the translation & localization world, is where I found myself. Amidst running a company and setting up processes (today) and running social media pages for various accounts, I only wish I could share my peace of mind and how content I am, in this exciting space, with other women!
Where can we find you?
https://www.linkedin.com/in/alifya-thingna-3b563143/
My latest feature: https://amazingworkplaces.co.in/?p=11019