Assamese, Bodo languages garner int'l spotlight at Italy's Global WordNet Conference

Guwahati, Jan 29: A team of five researchers from the Department of Information Technology, Gauhati University, led by Prof Shikhar Kumar Sarma, has represented India at the prestigious Global WordNet Conference 2025 being held at the University of Pavia, Italy, a press release said.

The team is presenting their ground-breaking research on the development of Assamese and Bodo languages for the digital world, marking a significant milestone in bringing these languages to an international platform.

The researchers have been working extensively on linguistic and computational advancements to create resources for Assamese and Bodo, ensuring their integration into modern digital technologies. Their participation underscores the efforts to enhance language technology for Northeast Indian languages and showcases the global relevance of their work.

Prof Shikhar Sarma, an expert in the field, stated, "This is a proud moment for us as we bring Assamese and Bodo languages to the global stage. Our work highlights the richness and potential of these languages in the global digital era."

The team's research not only strengthens Assamese and Bodo's position in computational linguistics but also reaffirms the region's cultural and intellectual contributions. This achievement reflects Gauhati University's commitment to fostering innovation and preserving linguistic heritage. Along with Prof Shikhar Sarma, the team comprises Dr Kuwali Talukdar, Dr Mirzanur Rahman, Dr Vaskar Deka and Dr Satyajit Sarmah from Gauhati University.

The team is presenting two significant research papers at the conference. The first paper focuses on the development of Assamese and Bodo WordNets, while the second explores machine translation between Assamese and Bodo using these WordNets. WordNet, a powerful linguistic tool for Artificial Intelligence, connects words across global languages with detailed descriptions, facilitating advanced computational applications.

Presenting Assamese and Bodo WordNets at this inter-national platform is a monumental step towards elevating these languages in the digital domain. This achievement not only highlights the linguistic and cultural importance of Assamese and Bodo but also ensures their relevance and sustainability for future generations in an increasingly digital world.