The Technology and Bharatiya Bhasha Summit, held on 30 September and 1 October, 2023, at the Dr Ambedkar International Centre in New Delhi, served as a pivotal platform for discussions on the integration of technology in various aspects of Bharatiya languages. Organised under the auspices of the Ministry of Education, Government of India and the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL) in collaboration with key educational and technological bodies, the University Grants Commission (UGC), All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE), National Educational Technology Forum (NETF), Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti (BBS), National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), National Council for Vocational Education and Training (NCVET), and National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE), this summit aimed to align with the goals of the National Education Policy-2020. Its overarching goal was to leverage technology to promote the use of Bharatiya languages across different educational domains.
The Bhasha Summit was inaugurated by Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Hon’ble Minister of Education, Skill Development, and Entrepreneurship, Government of India. In his address to the gathering, he emphasised that many departments and ministries are a part of this summit. He highlighted the unique bond shared by culture, language, and civilisation in our country. NEP 2020 places significant importance on all Indian languages, granting students the opportunity to study in their own language. India has a rich history of technological innovation. Before architectural engineering emerged, many temples in India, such as the Meenakshi Temple and Brihadeeshwar Temple, were constructed using advanced technology.
Key Highlights:
The summit offered a dynamic and enriching experience, encompassing presentations, panel discussions, exhibitions, and networking opportunities. It drew over 1,000 delegates from various parts of the country, including technical experts, institutions engaged in technology in Bharatiya Languages, AI and ML researchers, educational technology companies, startups, end-users and policymakers. Dr Shikha Sharma from our School had the privilege of attending this two-day summit."
Theme of the Summit:
The summit emphasised three main areas concerning language and technology:
• Technology FOR Bharatiya Languages
• Technology IN Bharatiya Languages
• Technology THROUGH Bharatiya Languages
Technology FOR Bharatiya Languages:
The first day commenced with discussions on how technology can facilitate teaching, testing, training, and translation in Bharatiya languages. The first session was conducted by Mr Sanjay Kumar, Secretary of School Education and Learning at the Ministry of Education. The panel discussion was expertly moderated by Prof Pushpak Bhattacharya of IIT Bombay, with valuable contributions from Dr Ningmeukapam Kishorjit Singh of IIT Manipur and Ms Natasha Jog, Head of Public Policy at Meta.
These experts discussed the use of technology in Bharatiya languages, specifically in the domains of teaching, testing, training, and translation.
1. Teaching encompasses both online and offline modes for learning and teaching Bharatiya languages, the development of learning-teaching materials, pedagogical methods and more.
2. Testing includes various methods and tests for assessing language proficiency at different levels in Bharatiya languages.
3. Training involves preparing pre-service and in-service language and subject teachers, master trainers, textbook writers in Bharatiya languages, as well as examiners and experts engaged in language assessment and evaluation, all using technology.
The second session, chaired by Dr Nirmaljeet Singh Kalsi, Chairman of NCVET, featured discussions led by experts Dr B.K. Murthy (GM, Projects, NIXI), Prof. Rajeev Sangal (IIT Hyderabad), and Dr Buddha Chandrashekhar (CCO, AICTE).
During these discussions, the experts highlighted various translation tools for Bharatiya languages and specifically mentioned two tools, '' and '.' The consensus was that translation efforts should focus on enhancing and expanding language translation tools for Bharatiya languages, as well as creating a pool of trained translators proficient in Bharatiya languages. This endeavour would address the technology requirements for translation by developing digital translation manuals and modules in Bharatiya languages using technology."
Technology IN Bharatiya Languages:
On the second day, experts discussed the development of hardware and software tools in Bharatiya languages, Bharatiya language operating systems, coding in Bharatiya languages, and web standardisation. The goal was to bring stakeholders together to advance technology development in Bharatiya languages.
The first session of Day 2 was conducted by Prof Mamidala Jagadesh Kumar, chairman, UGC. The experts were Dr Vinita Aggarwal (Executive Member, NCVET), Shri Amithabh Nag (CEO, Bhashini), and Ms Bank Paintal Dhawan (Head of Education, Google Cloud India).
The experts said that technology in Bharatiya languages is an area where the nation is yet to bring about a major revolution in developing hardware and software tools in Bharatiya languages. This means the creation of Bharatiya Operating Systems (OS) and Machine Learning (ML) in Bharatiya Languages, the use of Bharatiya Languages in writing codes and programmes, the development of core standards for technological use of Bharatiya Languages for universal acceptance, the development of multi-layers over the existing OS for Bharatiya Languages, the development of mobile apps and technology in Bharatiya Languages, the development of AR (Augmented Reality)-based platforms, and integrating Bharatiya Languages.
The second session of Day 2 was chaired by Prof V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, and featured a panel of experts, including Dr Sunil Kumar Kopparapu of TCS Research, Smt Kirti Seth, CEO of SSC Nasscom, and Mr Balendu Sharma Dadhich, Director of Local Language and Accessibility at Microsoft.
During this session, these experts explored topics related to generative AI in Bharatiya languages, handwriting recognition for Bharatiya scripts, voice-to-text conversion for Bharatiya languages, gesture-based inputs, and language translation.
Technology THROUGH Bharatiya Languages:
This theme focused on the implementation of technical education, content development, resource availability, skill courses, and guidelines for print and social media in Bharatiya languages.
The expert panel for this session was chaired by Shri Atul Kumar Tiwari, Secretary of MSDE, and included experts such as Dr Madan Mohan Tripathi, Director General of NIELIT, Smt Garima Babbar, Head of Adobe Asia Pacific, and Prof Girish Nath Jha, Chairman of CSTT.
In accordance with the vision outlined in NEP 2020, the key areas of emphasis included the delivery of technical education in Bharatiya Languages, the development of content and methodologies, resource provision, assessment and evaluation, offering skill courses alongside technical education in schools, vocational education institutions, universities, and professional educational institutions, as well as the establishment of guidelines and standards for the use of Bharatiya Languages in print and social media.
The summit culminated in the drawing up of a roadmap for the development and utilisation of technology FOR, IN, and THROUGH Bharatiya languages. This document reflects the collective wisdom and vision of the academia, industry leaders, linguists and policymakers.
In conclusion, the Technology and Bharatiya Bhasha Summit 2023 provided a significant platform for promoting the use of technology to enrich and empower Bharatiya languages across the education landscape. With the support of governmental bodies and key stakeholders, the summit laid the foundation for a brighter linguistic future for India.
Academia, industry leaders, language experts, linguists, state governments, and policymakers from across the country came together during this two-day summit, marking it as a crucial step towards the integration of technology and Bharatiya languages in education and beyond. There were also the Tech Tool Stalls from various institutions and organisations where the latest techno tools for translation, learning, and understanding were displayed.
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