Mysuru:
The Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysuru, inaugurated a two-week Orientation Programme on ‘Indian Grammatical Tradition’ in Mysuru. The programme brings together scholars, teachers and researchers from across the country to deepen their understanding of India’s rich grammatical heritage and explore its relevance to contemporary language studies.
The programme, being held till September 14 at the Conference Hall of CIIL, witnessed the participation of scholars and language experts representing different linguistic and academic backgrounds.
Prof. Prasad Joshi, Vice-Chancellor, Deccan College Post-Graduate and Research Institute, Pune, is the Guest of Honour, while Prof. Saroja Bhate, former Professor of Sanskrit and Prakrit Languages, University of Pune, attended as the Special Guest.
In his welcome address, Dr. Sujoy Sarkar, L-JRO, CIIL and Programme Coordinator, welcomed the distinguished guests, scholars and participants and introduced the objectives of the orientation programme. He highlighted the importance of creating greater opportunities for systematic engagement with Indian grammatical traditions and welcomed participants selected from across the country. The strong response to the programme, reflected in the large number of applications received, underscored the growing academic interest in the subject.
Delivering the presidential address, Prof. Basavaraja Kodagunti, Director, CIIL, said the response to the programme demonstrated the need for sustained study of India’s grammatical traditions. CIIL had received around 900 applications from across the country and neighboring countries, with applicants representing different regions, languages and disciplines. The participants included those working with languages ranging from Tamil and Kannada to languages spoken in the north-eastern and other parts of India.
Prof. Kodagunti stressed that Indian grammatical traditions cannot be confined to Sanskrit alone. Kannada, Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, Pali, Prakrit and other Indian languages have their own traditions and histories of grammatical analysis. He pointed to the interaction among different linguistic traditions as an important feature of India’s intellectual history.
He also announced CIIL’s initiative to prepare around 75 introductory books in linguistics, incorporating greater representation of Indian languages and perspectives. Around 15 volumes are expected to focus on Indian grammatical traditions, while other books will incorporate Indian perspectives in areas including phonology, morphology, syntax and semantics.
Prof. Prasad Joshi, in his address, described the Indian grammatical scholarship as an important contribution to the scientific study of language. Referring to Panini and Patañjali, he explained that the Indian tradition developed systematic methods for analysing language through rules and their application. He noted that Pāņini’s Aşțādhyāyī demonstrates how a carefully organised set of rules can account for a vast range of linguistic expressions.
Prof. Joshi further emphasised that the study of Indian grammatical traditions extends beyond Sanskrit and includes traditions associated with Pali, Prakrit, Tamil and other languages. He described grammar as a broad field concerned with different dimensions of language and highlighted its relevance to language preservation and linguistic research.
Prof. Saroja Bhate, in her special address, observed that Indian grammatical scholarship has contributed not only to the study of language but also to wider intellectual traditions. She noted that the work of Pāņini and Patañjali had influenced the development of systematic approaches to knowledge and referred to the significance of Indian grammatical studies in the history of linguistics. She also drew attention to the recognition given by several Western scholars to India’s contribution to linguistic thought, particularly in the study of Sanskrit and phonetics.
Prof. Bhate stressed that India’s lingistic heritage should be viewed in its entirety, encompassing Sanskrit as well as Pali, Prakrit and regional languages. She urged participants to look beyond grammar as a narrowly defined subject and understand its relationship with language, culture, communication and intellectual development.
The inaugural session concluded with the vote of thanks proposed by Dr. Pankaj Dwivedi, Assistant Director (Administration), CIIL.
The two-week programme features 56 academic sessions led by 22 experts from various Central and State Universities, IITs, IIITs and CIIL. It has 163 registered participants representing Central and State Universities, IITs, IIITs and various language research institutes from across the country.
The academic sessions, scheduled to continue until 14 September 2026, provide participants with intensive exposure to the diverse dimensions of Indian grammatical traditions and their relevance to contemporary language studies. The programme also aims to facilitate scholarly engagement and encourage further teaching, research and documentation in the field of Indian grammatical traditions.