The CD, titled Fun and Knowledge Box, is the first-ever CD-ROM encyclopaedia in an Indian language, according to Ravi DC, chief executive of DC Books.

The CD-ROM, priced at Rs 795, has been prepared with the motive of availing a world of knowledge at the finger tips. The CD contains 20,000 articles, which are hyperlinked to each other, 4,000 subject-related photos, 400 sounds, 100 videos, animations and montages.

Special features of maps, national anthems, national flags and other basic information of all countries of the world are available on the CD, said Ravi DC.

The CD is in Malayalam but does not require a Malayalam keyboard as it is mouse driven. Articles and chronicles can be copied to the clip board and print outs can be taken out, Ravi DC said.

Pazhanchollukal(olden pearls of wisdom), kadamkathal (riddles), interactive quiz, milestones in Kerala histroy from the stone age to modern age, etc also form part of the CD encyclopaedia. Videos, animations, montages and sounds can be referred by the users separately, according to Ravi DC.DC Books, which is celebrating its silver jubilee this year, publishes as many as 500 titles annually, most of them in Malayalam. The publishing company plans to bring out a 800-page chronicle on the 20th Century highlighting major events which took place between 1990-99.

DC Books is also planning to publish the first Malayalam translation of Booker Prize winning bestseller `God of Small Things' by Arundhati Roy.

The company's focus would continue to be on publishing although it has already made a foray into tourism, multimedia business, in a small way, Ravi DC added.