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The pronounciation of Indian names depends on the language: this is a word of Sanskrit origin, from the prefix vi, conveying the sense of apart, and possibly related to the word dvi cognate with and meaning two; and the verbal root vic meaning to sift or discriminate, cognate with, for example, Latin vices. viveka, which thus primarily means discrimination or realiziation of the difference (e.g. between the visible and the ideal), usually signifies true knowledge or conscience. In Sanskrit, the v is a labiodental unaspirated voiced semivowel, between the English w and v, somewhat less breath than in v. the -i- is short as in English hit, the -e- is long like the vowel in English cake. The last -a is a short indeterminate schwa as in the first sound in English about. The -k- is like in English. No marked stress is heard.

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In modern Indian languages, the last -a is likely to disappear as you see in the English spelling. In some languages, more differences appear: for example, in Bengali, the v becomes indistinguishable from a b, and the e becomes short as in English get.