Ganderbal, Oct 13 (KNS): Concerns over the disappearance of lesser-known languages and the risk of artificial intelligence reinforcing social and cultural biases dominated discussions at an international conference that began at the Central University of Kashmir (CUK) on Monday.

The three-day online conference, organised by the university's Department of English, is examining the relationship between language, cultural identity and emerging technologies, with particular attention to communities whose linguistic and literary traditions remain underrepresented.

Addressing the inaugural session, Prof Y L Srinivas, Vice-Chancellor of Samakka Sarakka Central Tribal University, Telangana, warned of the need to preserve endangered tribal languages, arguing that their disappearance would also mean the loss of cultural knowledge and collective memory.

He stressed the importance of documenting lesser-known languages through linguistic fieldwork and developing measures for their revitalisation.

The conference, titled "From Words to Worlds: English Language and Literatures – Reimagining Margins, Ecologies and Digital Futures", has brought together academics from India and overseas to examine how literature and technology influence the representation of marginalised communities.

One of the discussions focused on algorithmic bias in generative artificial intelligence, raising questions about the representation of different social and cultural groups in emerging digital systems.

C Vanlalawmpuia of the Central University of Kashmir presented research examining how biases in AI-generated content could affect cultural representation and reinforce existing inequalities.

Another major area of discussion was the preservation of indigenous languages, particularly those facing declining usage and limited institutional support.

Dr Amitabh Vikram Dwivedi of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University discussed the role of descriptive linguistic research in documenting endangered languages and preserving the knowledge systems associated with them.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel

The conference also examined how translation influences the transmission of religious and cultural knowledge across linguistic boundaries.

Dr Ni Kadek Surpi of Universitas Hindu Negeri, Indonesia, presented research on Sanskrit adaptation and English-mediated Vedic translation in Indonesia, focusing on the authenticity and transparency of translated texts.

Other presentations explored caste, gender, colonial narratives and the role of storytelling in shaping cultural identities.

Aatika Hussain of Aligarh Muslim University examined Dalit feminist consciousness in the writings of Bama, while Tabeena Tariq of Osmania University analysed colonial power relations in Rudyard Kipling's Lispeth.

Willy Mhagama of Tanzania's Mbeya University of Science and Technology discussed the role of storytelling in education and the formation of African identity.

Tayyibah Khan of Aligarh Muslim University presented research on learned and acquired linguistic competence in dramatic discourse.

CUK Vice-Chancellor Prof A Ravinder Nath said language had the capacity to shape social understanding and cultural perspectives, while Dean Academic Affairs Prof Shahid Rasool highlighted the relevance of borderland narratives and technology in contemporary language education.

Conference convener Prof Sandhya Tiwari said the deliberations would also cover ecological concerns, postcolonial literature and digital humanities.

The conference includes scholars from Indonesia, the UAE, Tajikistan and India, with research participation from eight Indian states. The academic sessions are scheduled to continue over three days. (KNS)