Tribune News Service
Patiala, June 18
A three-day All-India Dravidian Linguistics Conference started at Punjabi University on Thursday, bringing together renowned linguists, scholars and researchers from across the country to deliberate on language, culture and emerging technologies.
The national-level conference is being jointly organised by the university’s Department of Punjabi, Department of Linguistics and Punjabi Lexicography, Patiala Linguistics Association, Dravidian Linguistics Association and the International School of Dravidian Linguistics.
It is being held with support from the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysore, and the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), New Delhi.
Punjabi University Vice-Chancellor Jagdeep Singh stressed the need to preserve linguistic diversity.
He said language was not merely a medium of communication but a symbol of society’s culture, heritage and identity. “When a language disappears, an entire culture and centuries of knowledge disappear with it. Preserving linguistic diversity is our collective responsibility,” he said.
The VC also highlighted Punjabi University’s longstanding commitment to promoting Punjabi language, culture and linguistic research, adding that such conferences help strengthen academic understanding between northern and southern Indian languages.
Delivering the keynote address, noted linguist MJ Warsi of Aligarh Muslim University stressed the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in preserving India’s linguistic heritage. He said AI, guided by linguists, could become a powerful tool for educational expansion and national integration, while cautioning that minority and indigenous languages remain underrepresented in current AI models.
A former Tamil University VC K Karunakaran called for linking higher education with societal needs and urged research institutions to strengthen collaboration.
