Awantipora, October 13: The Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) inaugurated a three-day national workshop titled “Kashmiri Language in the Digital Era: Leveraging Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning for Preservation and Promotion.” This AICTE Sponsored Workshop is being organized under the VAANI Scheme by the Department of Computer Science in collaboration with the Habba Khatoon Centre for Kashmiri Language & Literature, IUST.
In his presidential address, Prof. Shakil A. Romshoo, Vice Chancellor, IUST, highlighted the university’s strong commitment to preserving cultural and linguistic heritage through innovation and technology. “IUST has already endorsed NEP-2020 in its full scale to make IUST a Viksit University,” he said. Prof. Romshoo emphasized that the university is actively working on “Cultural Language Preservation,”.
Delivering a technical address, Prof. G.S. Lehal, Former Dean, School of Engineering and Technology, Punjabi University, underlined the need to establish more language preservation centres across India and to utilize digital tools for linguistic documentation and revitalization. Noted literary scholar Prof. Shafi Shauq, Former Dean, School of Arts and Languages, remarked that “Language is essentially a speech, not just a written text,” stressing the importance of oral traditions in preserving linguistic heritage.
Prof. A.H. Moon, Dean Academic Affairs, spoke about the role of academic collaboration and innovation in language preservation within the framework of the National Education Policy (NEP-2020). Prof. Abdul Wahid, Registrar IUST, reiterated the university’s focus on promoting linguistic and cultural research through interdisciplinary engagement and technology-driven approaches.
Earlier, Dr. Kaisar Javeed, Dean, School of Engineering and Technology, and Coordinator of the Workshop, delivered the welcome address, introducing the objectives of the program and emphasizing the importance of integrating technology with cultural preservation. The session concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Showkat Hussain Dar, Head, Department of Islamic Studies.
