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Amit Shah Unveils ‘Museum of Word’ in Kolkata, Advocates AI-Based Approach for Indian Languages
Can a world, or even a civilization, be encapsulated in a single word? Perhaps the answer now lies in Kolkata's newly opened Museum of World. This immersive cultural space attempts to follow India's linguistic trajectory from ancient scripts to the age of Artificial Intelligence. Preserving India's linguistic legacy has been called one of the most important steps in this direction. Amit Shah, the Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, opened this museum's first phase as a bridge between India's ancient past and the future, driven by modern technologies.
Shah, speaking at the event, expressed that the museum greatly helps PM Narendra Modi's vision of a cultural renaissance, and that the room, with its exhibits, illustrates the centuries-long evolution of language, of which emotions and civilization are integral parts. Shah expressed that the evolution of civilization's words and India's cultural identity go hand in hand.
Museum Beyond Language
Unlike most museums that feature static displays, the Museum of Word has been designed to feature displays that are traversable through the use of multiple senses and are interactive. Shah stated that the museum describes the journey of India's languages, from Omkar, Panini's grammar, verbal traditions of Shruti and Smriti, palm leaf manuscripts, stone inscriptions, the printing press, and touches on digital modernity. He called it a novel, advanced, and innovative way to help India's multilingual consciousness, and give a glimpse of its preserved traditions through the use of technology to create the collective memory of India's past.
Why Does Amit Shah Want AI Incorporated in the Museum?
One strong takeaway from this event has been that India’s linguistic heritage needs to be integrated with emerging technologies. Shah proposed that the Museum of Word gradually expand to include Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other digital technologies, so Indian languages can adapt and grow with technological advancements. He argued that digital empowerment of Indian languages is necessary to ensure the languages are sustained and maintained for future generations. This further showcases the national thought process regarding digital empowerment. In this regard, AI is theorized to be not only a technological advancement but also a tool that will help maintain and promote the ever-growing linguistic diversity of India.
A Journey from Ancient Manuscripts to Modern Innovations
The museum showcases the extensive history of India’s linguistic heritage. The visitors can view exhibits that display:
- The Early Modern and Contemporary evolution of languages
- Panini’s grammatical systems
- Shruti and Smriti literature
- Palm-leaf and Bhojpatra manuscripts
- Copper plate inscriptions
- Printed books and archives
- Digital preservation of languages
- Dynamic, interactive multimedia presentations
Shah mentions that the museum changes India’s intangible heritage to something that visitors can see and hear and helps to bring the history of languages to the youth in a more engaging manner.
Language Begins At Home, Says Shah
In his speech, the Union Home Minister stated his five guidelines for maintaining dialects in India.He stated that it should be made a priority that; Every family should make their home the first language school for their children, schooling should commence in the mother tongue, universities should promote and support the development of original ideas and thinking, every Indian dialect should be digitized and included in AI, and every Indian citizen should know at least one other Indian dialect in addition to their mother tongue. He claimed that the above would be beneficial for the future of India while preserving its linguistic diversity.
Libraries > Crowded Campuses
In terms of the education system, he made a general statement that the future of any country is not based on the number of higher education institutions, but on the number of young people who actively use the libraries.
He stated that the youth should let their libraries be the most important place for their personal and educational development, and that a person's connection to their mother tongue is emotional and foundational to one's identity and should be cared for.
It's in the Name of Kolkata
The Home Minister stated that West Bengal is one of the top states that has Indian historical and traditional intellectual and cultural thought. He stated that Bengal can, once again, be a Global Cultural Capital, and a Shaping City of India's Civilizational Journey, with the help of the names of Maharshi Aurobindo, Swami Vivekananda, Ramakrishna Paramahansa, Rabindranath Tagore and Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose.
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