The Cultural Wing of Student Life Committee (SLC) organised International Mother Language Day Celebrations on 21 February with talks by Dr. Madri Kakoti, Department of Linguistics, University of Lucknow on Language and Society: Reflections of Reality and Dr. A Giridhar Rao, Azim Premji University, Bengaluru on Biocultural Diversity, Linguistic Human Rights, and Mother-Tongue Medium Education. This was followed by events by The Language Club of IIIT Hyderabad.
Dr. Madri Kakoti’s academic expertise spans multiple subfields of linguistics, including general linguistics, sociolinguistics, neurolinguistics, and endangered languages. She has a strong research focus on language documentation and revitalization, particularly of lesser-known and indigenous languages. Additionally, she has contributed to studies on language acquisition, multilingualism, and the socio-political aspects of language use. She earned her Master’s degree from Jawaharlal Nehru University in 2011 and a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Delhi in 2007. Beyond her academic role, Dr. Kakoti is recognized for her innovative approach to teaching English. Through her “Neighbourhood Teacher” video series, she integrates current socio-political topics to make language learning engaging and relevant. This initiative has been featured in publications such as Hindustan Times and Scroll.in. Additionally, Dr. Kakoti serves as the Honorary Vice President of the Society for Endangered and Lesser-known Languages, contributing to the preservation and revitalization of threatened linguistic traditions.
Dr. A Giridhar Rao, is interested in questions of linguistic justice. What are just and equitable language policies for a multilingual country like India? How can our schools use India’s astonishing linguistic diversity more effectively? At Azim Premji University, his courses on language and literature pedagogy explore these questions. He blogs in English on these themes at bolii.blogspot.com.
Questions of communicative justice drew Giridhar to the planned language Esperanto. Most recently in 2024, he translated Gandhi’s Autobiography. He has also translated some of the writings of Manto and Faiz into Esperanto. He is a member of the Academy of Esperanto. He blogs in Esperanto at lingvovivo.blogspot.com.
Pictures: International Mother Language Day
February 2025