Kohima: A five-day national workshop kicked off at Tetso College in Sovima on August 18 to craft digital resources for 12 Nagaland languages. The event runs through August 22. It draws native speakers, community experts, linguists, and software developers together to preserve indigenous heritage. The Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysuru, and the Tetso College Linguistics Department are running the show.
Dr. Wichamdinbo Mataina, the head of the linguistics department, pushed for a stronger digital footprint for local tongues. He argued that these languages house histories and traditions that lose ground when they vanish from the web. Chief guest and Padma Shri awardee Sentila T. Yanger warned that technology is not a total solution. She stated, "technology alone cannot preserve a language, stressing the need for communities to continue speaking, teaching and using their languages."
The program targets under-documented languages that struggle in the digital era. Participants will create prototypes using 500 words, 20 phrases, and 50 sentences. They are building talking dictionaries, language games, quizzes, and digital starter kits. The group includes 26 native speakers, eight linguists, two teachers, and three tech developers. Sessions shifted to data collection and conversion on Tuesday afternoon. Principal Dr. Hewasa L. Khing linked the work to the International Decade of Indigenous Languages.
Updated at 19th August 2026 at 2:00pm
The project is spearheaded by the Central Institute of Indian Languages through its Centre of North Eastern Language Development. Prof. Umarani Pappuswamy, the deputy director of the institute, noted that the rise of artificial intelligence has turned the existing digital divide into a language gap. She pushed for a community-first approach to bridge this distance.
The event also ties into the college's Vision 2030 and its digital indigenous knowledge archive, known as NEIIPA. Participants are using AI-based tools for transcription, translation, and speech recognition to build their materials. Organizers aim to create a sustainable model that they can eventually replicate across the Northeast.
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