Google Mapathon 2013 Chance for Users to Improve India Map

Google has just announced its Mapathon 2013, which calls on users to improve the India version of Google Maps. The Mapathon begins on 12 February and goes on till 25 March. There’s a prize for those who log on to improve Google maps. The top 1000 mappers in India stand a chance to win Android tablets, smartphones, gift vouchers and Google merchandise. To register for the competition click here.

Google Map Maker was first conceptualized in India, a country where even paper maps have historically lacked in details. Four years ago, a group of Googlers in India led by Lalit Katragadda, Country- Product Head, decided that it was time to team up with users to improve our maps for India in a dramatic way. The core belief was that users know their neighbourhoods, villages, and back yards better than anyone else, and so we designed Map Maker as the tool people could use to update these details onto a digital map. Map Maker is now used across the world and today, what started off as an initiative by the Google engineers is now a project that citizens across India can participate in through Mapathon 2013.

Here at Google, it has always been our endeavour to organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful. One way we hope to achieve this is by mapping the world, and what better way to do so than by asking users to help ensure that Google Maps accurately reflects the world around them.

To provide better maps for India, we need to build maps for the users, by the users. So join us in mapping India and start by adding in those places you consider important — such as your favorite local dosa joints or a nearby hospital  or by simply updating details of places already on Maps. Registration for the competition is now open and we encourage all of you to sign up at: http://g.co/mapindia2013

Win Android tablets, phones and more 10 Samsung Galaxy Note 800 Android Tablets 40 Samsung Galaxy S II GT I9100 Android Phones 50 Flipkart gift coupons worth Rs. 5000 each 1000 Google Mapathon 2013 t-shirts and certificates (includes the top 100 above and another 900 people)