Use AI to keep languages alive: Expert
G. Uma Maheshwara Rao, former president of the Linguistic Society of India, on Friday said CIIL represents the voices of all 140 crore Indians and
G. Uma Maheshwara Rao, former president of the Linguistic Society of India, on Friday said CIIL represents the voices of all 140 crore Indians and plays a vital role in advancing the nation’s linguistic diversity. He observed that the future of Indian language research lies in integrating linguistic knowledge with Artificial Intelligence rather than limiting it to printed documentation.
In his address at the 58th Foundation Day at CIIL, he said people should be able to speak in their mother tongue while others receive the message instantly in their own languages through AI-enabled systems, fulfilling CIIL’s long-standing mission of making Indian languages accessible to everyone. Presiding over the function, CIIL director Basavaraja Kodagunti called for renewed efforts to strengthen Indian languages through research, education, technology, and cultural preservation.
He described language as the repository of India’s historical knowledge, cultural heritage, and social wisdom and urged scholars to deepen research in historical, sociolinguistic, and anthropological linguistics. On the growing influence of AI, Prof. Kodagunti said every citizen should be able to interact with digital technologies in their own mother tongue, underlining the need for inclusive multilingual language technologies.
He also advocated expanding higher education in major Indian languages. Observing that language connects culture, society, music, philosophy, and traditional knowledge, he said India’s linguistic diversity offers immense opportunities for research and innovation and called upon CIIL’s scholars and staff to build on the Institute’s legacy with renewed dedication.
The BriefWire