Centre urged to strengthen CIIL for protection and promotion of language studies

G.K. Panikkar, director, International School of Dravidian Linguistics, Thiruvananthapuram, on Thursday said that the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysuru, has the potential to become the world’s topmost institution in the field of language-related study and research and in finding out solutions to language-related problems.

“For sustainable development of Indian languages and for protection of the cultural ethos of Indian people, I appeal to the Government of India to strengthen the CIIL, giving it necessary freedom, and academic, financial and administration support,” he said, in his address as the chief guest at the 57th foundation day of the CIIL here.

Mr. Panikkar praised the CIIL for its work in the protection and documentation of minor languages. Almost all tribal languages of India, including those with less than 10,000 speakers had been analysed by CIIL researchers, who prepared grammars and lexicons for them, he explained.

He further said that textbooks were prepared for primary classes to enable tribal students to have their early education in their own mother tongue itself, and then switch over to the major language of their respective regions.

“As a part of CIIL’s role to promote multilingualism and its efforts for the effective implementation of the three-language formula, school teachers were trained in different languages — especially South Indian languages to the teachers of North Indian states,” he stated.

“I think this project successfully continues even now by expanding its scope to all the major languages of the country. It now trains teachers in second language teaching methodologies providing them with linguistics orientation,” he added.

He said that the application of AI and other technological innovations may also be helpful to CIIL for solving many of our present-day problems. Similarly, steps towards equipping one’s mother tongue for higher education such as the preparation of dictionaries of science terms in regional languages and so on are the need of the hour, he added.

On the occasion, the ‘Bhasha Sanchika’ portal — a digital language repository of CIIL, which is described as a pioneering platform where language preservation, dissemination, and technology converges, was launched.

The launch of the Bhasha Sanchika (Language Archive of India) marks a significant milestone in CIIL’s ongoing efforts to safeguard India’s linguistic diversity. Developed using D-Space, a widely adopted open-source digital asset management system, the portal serves as a resource hub for the promotion, documentation, and preservation of Indian languages and cultural heritage, according to CIIL.

CIIL Director Shailendra Mohan presided over the event. Former CIIL Directors, language experts, and other dignitaries were present. The inaugural event was followed by panel discussions.