Indian Languages Must Thrive in the Digital Age, VP Radhakrishnan Says

Addressing the gathering, the Vice-President described language as the conscience of civilisation, carrying collective memory, knowledge systems, and ethical values across generations.

India’s linguistic diversity is not a relic of the past but a strategic asset for the future, Vice-President of India Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan said today while inaugurating the Third International Conference on Indian Languages in New Delhi.

The conference, organised by Vaishvik Hindi Parivaar, Antarashtriya Sahyog Parishad, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), and the Department of Bharatiya Bhasha, University of Delhi, brought together scholars, linguists, technologists, and international delegates to discuss the future of Indian languages in a rapidly digitising world.

Language as Civilisational Memory—and Future Infrastructure

Addressing the gathering, the Vice-President described language as the conscience of civilisation, carrying collective memory, knowledge systems, and ethical values across generations.

“From ancient stone inscriptions and palm-leaf manuscripts to today’s digital scripts, languages have preserved humanity’s philosophy, science, poetry, and moral thought,” he said, underscoring the continuity between India’s ancient knowledge traditions and modern digital platforms.

Recalling his recent participation in Siddha Day celebrations in Chennai, Shri Radhakrishnan highlighted the vast repository of palm-leaf manuscripts, calling them living proof of India’s multilingual and multidisciplinary knowledge heritage. Every Indian language, he said, has contributed meaningfully to medicine, science, governance, spirituality, and philosophy.

Linguistic Diversity as the Foundation of Indian Democracy

The Vice-President emphasised that India’s linguistic plurality has never fragmented the nation. Instead, it has strengthened a shared civilisational ethos and common Dharma.

Sharing his experience as Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, he noted a growing trend of Members of Parliament speaking in their mother tongues, reflecting deeper democratic inclusion. He also cited the recent release of the Santhali translation of the Constitution of India by President Smt. Droupadi Murmu as a landmark step in recognising linguistic dignity and democratic respect for all speech communities.

India’s Constitution, particularly the Eighth Schedule, he said, embodies ancient wisdom by affirming that national unity thrives on mutual respect, not uniformity. Democracy flourishes when citizens can express themselves in their own language.

Technology as an Ally in Language Preservation

Highlighting contemporary challenges, the Vice-President cautioned that many indigenous languages worldwide are endangered. International conferences such as this one, he said, play a crucial role in:

• Strengthening linguistic research

• Advancing international academic collaboration

• Preserving endangered languages, scripts, and manuscripts

Referring to government initiatives under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, he highlighted:

• National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which promotes multilingual education

• Gyan Bharatam Mission, aimed at preserving and disseminating Indian manuscripts

These initiatives, he said, reaffirm India’s belief that knowledge is sacred and meant to be shared.

Calling for a future-oriented approach, the Vice-President urged that technology must become an ally of languages, advocating:

• Digital archives and manuscript digitisation

• AI-powered translation and speech technologies

• Multilingual digital platforms for education and governance

Such tools, he noted, can ensure that Indian languages not only survive but shape the digital future.

Why This Matters: Languages in the Age of AI and Digital Governance

As artificial intelligence, digital governance, and global platforms increasingly shape communication, language inclusion is emerging as a core democratic and technological challenge.

India’s linguistic ecosystem—one of the richest in the world—offers unparalleled opportunities for:

• AI language models and translation systems

• Digital education platforms

• Cultural-tech and heritage-tech innovation

• Inclusive governance and citizen engagement

Call to Action: Build the Future of Language Technology in India

The conference sends a clear message to AI developers, ed-tech startups, linguists, archivists, and digital humanities researchers: India’s languages need innovation, collaboration, and scale.

Stakeholders are encouraged to:

• Develop AI and NLP tools for Indian languages

• Digitise and preserve manuscripts and oral traditions

• Build multilingual platforms for education, culture, and governance

• Collaborate across borders to safeguard endangered languages

Concluding his address, the Vice-President said:“In preserving languages, India preserves its civilisations; in nurturing linguistic diversity, it strengthens democracy; and in celebrating every language, it upholds the dignity of humanity itself.”

Dignitaries Present

The event was attended by Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, Former Union Minister for Education; Shri Ram Bahadur Rai, Chairman, IGNCA; Shri Shyam Parande, Secretary General, Council for International Cooperation; along with scholars, academicians, linguists, researchers, and international delegates.