New Delhi, January 11, 2026
Delhi Legislative Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta on Sunday underscored the civilisational significance of India’s multilingual heritage, stating that linguistic diversity in the country has never been a source of division but has consistently encouraged dialogue, coexistence, and mutual understanding. Addressing the valedictory session of the Third International Indian Language Conference in New Delhi, the Speaker said that languages in India serve as a living bridge between the nation’s civilisational past and its democratic future.
Speaking at the concluding session of the three-day international conference, Gupta described language as far more than a tool of communication. “Language is not merely a medium of communication; it is the living bridge between our civilisational past and our democratic future,” he said, highlighting the deep cultural, historical, and intellectual roots embedded in Indian languages.
The conference, organised on the theme “Languages, Literature, Youth and Technology,” brought together eminent scholars, writers, linguists, and cultural thinkers from India and across the world. The valedictory ceremony was attended by Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla as the chief guest, who delivered the keynote address. The programme was presided over by Ram Bahadur Rai, President of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts. Other prominent dignitaries present included Ramesh C. Gaur, Dean (Administration), Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts; Anil Joshi, President, Vaishvik Hindi Parivar and Director of the International Indian Language Conference; Ravi Prakash Tekchandani, Dean, Department of Indian Languages, University of Delhi; Shyam Parande, General Secretary, Antar-Rashtriya Sahayog Parishad; A. Vinod, Coordinator, Shiksha Sanskriti Utthan Nyas; and Vinaysheel Chaturvedi, Director, Vaishvik Hindi Parivar.
In his address, Gupta observed that the history of Indian languages reflects continuity through diversity rather than rupture or replacement. He noted that languages in India have evolved through centuries of interaction among communities, belief systems, and knowledge traditions. Even languages that are no longer spoken continue to influence contemporary linguistic forms, leaving behind rich intellectual and cultural legacies. “Our linguistic inheritance is layered. It is not a story of disappearance, but of enduring memory,” he said.
Highlighting India’s deeply multilingual social fabric, the Speaker said that most Indians grow up navigating several languages in their everyday lives, each serving different contexts of expression, emotion, and function. This lived multilingualism, he noted, fosters habits of listening, accommodation, and empathy. It has enabled diverse linguistic families such as Indo-European, Dravidian, Austro-Asiatic, and Tibeto-Burman to coexist within a shared civilisational space. “In India, linguistic diversity has never meant division; it has always meant dialogue,” Gupta said.
The Speaker also reflected on the evolution of writing systems and oral traditions across Indian languages. He emphasised that both written and unwritten linguistic traditions have preserved knowledge through storytelling, songs, rituals, and collective memory. From ancient scripts to tribal oral narratives, he said, India’s linguistic wealth cannot be measured solely by written literature. “The value of a language lies not only in its texts, but in the lived experience and cultural memory carried by communities,” he remarked.
Gupta commended the organisers for creating a truly global platform for intellectual exchange. Over the course of three days, the conference hosted 43 sessions that included book and art exhibitions, film screenings, theatrical performances, and cultural presentations. He said the wide-ranging programme reflected language not only as a system of words, but as thought, art, and creative expression. With participation from scholars and delegates representing more than 70 countries, the conference reaffirmed the global relevance of Indian languages in contemporary academic and cultural discourse.
In his concluding remarks, the Speaker stressed that language carries a profound responsibility in a democratic society. He urged academic institutions, scholars, and policymakers to ensure that the growing role of technology in language use enhances depth, understanding, and creativity rather than diluting linguistic richness. He also encouraged young people to engage with languages as living, evolving tools of innovation and expression, rather than viewing them as static or purely academic subjects.
Gupta congratulated all participating institutions and organisers for their sustained commitment to the promotion of language and culture. Extending his best wishes for the future of the conference, he expressed hope that the platform would continue to nurture thoughtful scholarship rooted in patience, responsibility, and care. “May our languages remain the strongest custodians of our civilisational strength,” he said, calling for continued efforts to preserve, study, and creatively engage with India’s vast linguistic heritage.
