‘India as One Linguistic Area: An Interdisciplinary Perspective’ conference begins at CIIL, Mysuru
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Mysuru: The two-day Conference on ‘India as One Linguistic Area: An Interdisciplinary Perspective’ began at the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysuru on Friday.
It aims to bring together distinguished administrators and eminent scholars for
insightful discussions on Language, Linguistics, and its connections with Biological Science, Sociology, Anthropology, History, Philosophy and more.
The conference was inaugurated at the conference hall of the Institution, with a traditional lamp-lighting ceremony by Chief Guest Dr Sukanta Majumdar (on virtual
mode), Union Minister of State for Education, Ministry of Education Mananeeya Nivedita Bhide, All India Vice-President of Vivekananda Rock Memorial & Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari, Sanjeev Sanyal (on virtual mode), Member of the Economic Advisory Council of the Prime Minister and Prof Shailendra Mohan, Director, CIIL, Mysuru alongside other dignitaries.
Dr Pankaj Dwivedi, Lecturer cum Junior Research Officer (L-JRO), CIIL, Mysuru
welcomed the guests, invitees and attendees. In his welcome address, Dr. Dwivedi briefed
about the objectives of the conference and emphasized to reclaim and rearticulate the essence of India’s linguistic and cultural oneness.
Dr Sukanta Majumdar, in his speech stated that Bharat is unique among the world’s ancient civilisations having a rich heritage in various domains such as arts, music, dance, architecture, philosophy, and literature, whose profound legacy has significantly influenced the languages prevalent in these cultural spheres.
He emphasised on the traditional and cultural ethos of the country and said that Bharat is a single cultural area with multifaceted, intricate tapestry woven from countless threads, each representing different aspects of life – spiritual, social, economic or political, even deeper layers of interconnectedness.
The Minister further stated that despite the vast array of languages in which Indian literature is written, a profound unity binds these literary traditions together, creating a shared linguistic and intellectual heritage.
The keynote speaker of the conference, Sanjeev Sanyal, Member of the Economic
Advisory Council of the Prime Minister emphasised India’s deep-rooted
civilisational unity, transcending linguistic and regional diversity.
Tracing the concept of Bharata to the Rig Veda, he connected ancient tribes like the Bharatas with seven rivers and seven hills to modern Indian identity.
Sanyal highlighted how India evolved by uniting diverse traditions under a common cultural framework. Referencing texts like the
Mahabharata, Puranas and Sangam literature, he argued that this integrative civilisational
operating system still defines India.
The Guest of Honour of the conference, Mananeeya Nivedita Bhide, All India Vice-President of Vivekananda Rock Memorial & Vivekananda Kendra, Kanyakumari in her address appreciated CIIL for organising this remarkable conference to bring together scholars from diverse fields.
She stated that we communicate our thoughts, and thoughts come from the
world view, i.e., how we view the world. She also opined that the outer appearance of
languages may be different but their inner core to be communicated is the same and so we mutually respect the diversity.
She further mentioned about the vision of oneness by Swami Vivekananda Prof Shailendra Mohan, Director, CIIL, in his presidential address highlighted the essential
work carried out by CIIL for the promotion and preservation of India’s vast linguistic heritage.
He emphasised on our cultural and traditional unity and said that this sense of unity
is not just philosophical but also rooted in our genetic and cultural history.
Prof Mohan further added that India’s genetic landscape, shaped by thousands of years of migration, interaction and integration, reveals a deep interconnection among its people. This shared ancestry is reflected not just in our physical traits but in the languages we speak, the stories we tell and the beliefs we hold dear.
He expressed his concern of CIIL moving beyond the conventional boundaries of language families and embracing the richness of India’s multilingual heritage.
The inaugural session concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr Sujoy Sarkar, L-JRO, CIIL and
coordinator of this conference.
The two-day conference features 6 academic sessions, 20 invited talks from various central
and state universities and research institutions across the nation.
On this occasion, a cultural event by Toda community was also organised.
Over the next two days, the eminent invitees
of this conference will deliver their talks on their respective topics.
– Team Mysoorunews
Mysooru News
