AMU Professor delivers inaugural address at ICOLSI-46 at University of Kashmir
ALIGARH : Prof M. J. Warsi, Chairman, Department of Linguistics, Aligarh Muslim University and President, Linguistic Society of India, while delivering inaugural address on “Linguistics in the 21st century: Challenges and Opportunities” at the 46th International Conference of the Linguistic Society of India (ICOLSI-46) held at the University of Kashmir, said that linguistics plays a critical role in addressing some of the most pressing issues of our time, from language preservation and revitalisation to the intersections of language, technology and society.
He said that India, with its unparalleled linguistic diversity, continues to offer a fertile ground for research and innovation in our field. Yet, with this diversity also come challenges that require us to think creatively and collaboratively about how we can preserve and promote the languages of our communities while also ensuring their relevance in the globalised world.
Referring to the relevance of NEP-2020, Prof Warsi emphasized that the implementation of the NEP marks a significant shift in the nation’s educational landscape, aiming to transform the educational system to meet the fast moving global needs with strong emphasis on multilingualism.
Prof. Warsi said that while linguistics has made significant strides in India, the rapid development of technology, particularly Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing (NLP) offers exciting possibilities for linguistics.
“We must encourage interdisciplinary approaches, blending linguistics with fields like technology, sociology and cognitive science, ensuring that the study of language remains relevant in an increasingly interconnected world,” he added.