Mysuru Hosts National Conclave on Tribal Languages and Museums

Mysuru is hosting a three day National Conclave on Tribal Languages and Museums from August 24 to 26, bringing together discussions on the preservation, documentation and revival of tribal languages across India.

The event has been organised by the Ministry of Tribal Affairs and is also focusing on strengthening tribal museums and museums dedicated to tribal freedom fighters. The larger aim is to protect traditional knowledge while ensuring that tribal communities remain part of the country’s development process.

Technology has emerged as one of the key themes of the conclave. A chatbot dedicated to tribal language information has been introduced, while a new iOS version of the Adi Vaani digital platform has also been launched. The updated app includes five additional languages along with new features designed to make information more accessible.

Karnataka Tribal Primers Released
Another important development at the event is the release of primers, or introductory learning books, in tribal languages of Karnataka. The initiative is expected to support early language learning and help bring tribal languages into educational settings.

The Ministry of Tribal Affairs has also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Central Institute of Indian Languages in Mysuru. The partnership is aimed at strengthening work related to tribal languages and their preservation.

Community Ownership at the Centre
Speakers at the conclave stressed that simply recording endangered languages will not be enough to keep them alive. Regular language surveys at the community level and an open resource platform for sharing documented material were among the ideas discussed.

There was also a strong push for communities to have a greater role in developing scripts and deciding how their language data is used. Participants argued that ownership of recorded material should remain with the communities rather than being controlled entirely by outside organisations.

Technology and AI Need Community Control
Artificial intelligence and digital technology can help document languages that have limited written or digital resources, but participants said communities must remain the primary custodians of their linguistic knowledge.

The discussions called for carefully managed datasets and AI models that give vulnerable language communities meaningful control over their information. The FAIR and CARE principles were also highlighted as useful frameworks for developing technology in partnership with tribal communities.

The conclave has therefore placed technology alongside community participation rather than treating it as a replacement for local knowledge. Initiatives such as Adi Vaani are being presented as part of a broader effort to give endangered tribal languages a stronger presence in the digital world.