Central Institute of Indian Languages [CIIL] MISSION STATEMENT:  Annotated, quality language data (both-text & speech) and tools in Indian Languages to Individuals, Institutions and Industry for Research & Development - Created in-house, through outsourcing and acquisition..  Our Other Sites  Related Sites 
You are here: BACK
News >Tamil NLP Workshop Report (Computational Tamil Studies,Thamizh Academy, SRM University, Tamil Nadu)
Tamil NLP Workshop Report
(Computational Tamil Studies,Thamizh Academy, SRM University,Kattankulathur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu)
20th to 30th January, 2012

SRM (Sri Ramasamy Memorial) University has established Tamil Perayam (Thamizh Academy), a platform for multifarious constructive accomplishments for the upliftment of Tamil language. The Computational Tamil Studies, a department of this Academy, has been undertaking activities such as conducting Computational Tamil Certificate Courses, developing and promoting the Tamil software, providing the facilities and guidelines to the students and researchers to carry out the Tamil software products.

With the objective to develop human resources in Tamil Computing, the department had jointly launched a workshop on ‘Tamil Computational Linguistics’ for 11 days from 20.01.2012 to 30.01.2012 in SRM University Campus at Kattankulathur, Chennai with Linguistic Data Consortium for Indian Languages (LDC - IL) of Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore, under the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India.

This historic event in the field of computational linguistics was inaugurated on 20th January 2012, Friday during 10.00 a.m. to 1.00 pm at Mini Hall of Dr. T. P. Ganesan Auditorium in the university campus. Dr. M. Ponnavaikko, Vice-Chancellor of SRM University and President of Thamizh Academy presided over the inaugural function. He introduced the academy and high lighted its various activities. He paid great encomiums on Dr. T. R. Pachamuthu, the Chancellor, SRM University and Patron, Tamil Academy, for his deep love for Tamil and dedication to spread Tamil culture. He affirmed that without his support this event wouldn’t have been possible. Thiru. M. Kutralingam, IAS, Principal Secretary, Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms, Government of Tamilnadu inaugurated the workshop and delivered the inaugural address. Dr. N. Deiva Sundaram, Emeritus Professor of the Computational Tamil Studies and Co-ordinator of the workshop presented the objectives of the workshop. Dr. L. Ramamoorthy, Head, Linguistics Data Consortium – IL of Central Institute of Indian Languages delivered the key-note address. Thiru. Mani. Manivannan, President, Uththamam (INFITT) and Thiru. M. Anto Peter, President, Kanithamizh Sangam felicitated the workshop. Thiru. Ila. Sundaram, Co-ordinator, Department of Computational Tamil Studies welcomed the gathering and Dr. G. Bakiyavathy Ravi, Co-ordinator, Thamizh Academy offered vote of thanks. The programme was compered by Dr. K. Sundarapandian, Assistant Professor of Tamil, College of Science and Humanities, SRM University.

The workshop was held for 11 days from 20.01.2012 to 30.01.2012. More than 30 experts participate as resource persons. The participants were trained with hands on tools and were motivated to pursue research in these emerging fields and to develop new language tools for supporting Tamil computing initiatives. The experts belonged to different streams and professions, like Language, Linguistics, Language Technology, Phonetics, Acoustic Phonetics, Speech Technology, Tamil Computing, Internet Tamil, Computational Linguistics and Computer Engineering from the renowned institutions like IISc – Bangalore, CDAC-Pune, Dravidian University - Andhra Pradesh, CIIL - Mysore, Anna University, and other State universities in Tamil Nadu

Participants, numbering 108 from the college and universities, including Professors and research scholars, belonging to different disciplines such as language, linguistics, computer science and engineering from Tamil Nadu, Pondicherry, Andhra Pradesh, Delhi and overseas like Sri Lanka and Malaysia.

The generous inputs of the resource persons from different fields of research enabled the participants to understand the qualitative and quantitative analysis procedures. Their profound experience in their field of research helped to unfold the steps in making research knowledge more user friendly and for routine application. They formed a heterogeneous group to bring in many challenges in order to make the workshop more need based.

Experiences, Comments and Suggestions were invited from the participants during last session of the workshop. Most of them felt and heartily expressed that this workshop is a milestone in the computational Tamil Research.

On 30th January 2012, Monday on 4.00 p.m. a formal valedictory function was held. Dr. V. Dhanalakshmi Head, Dept. of Tamil, College of Science and Humanities, SRM University formally welcomed the gathering. The workshop Coordinator Dr. N. Deiva Sundaram briefed on the workshop deliberations and requested the participants to utilize their knowledge to produce more such scholars in this field. Dr. T. Nedunchezhiyan, Dr. S. Mahalakshmi, Thiru. Su.Le. Abdul Haleem, and Ms. Salma Saleem Thambi shared their workshop experience on behalf of the participants. And Thiru. L.R. Premkumar also shared his experience from the joint venture of LDC-IL.

Dr. R. Balasubramanian, Director, College of Science and Humanities, SRM University presided over the valedictory function. CD copy of the workshop proceeding was released by Dr. M. Ponnusamy, Registrar(i/c), Controller of Examinations, SRM University and he delivered the valedictory address. Founder of Madurai Project Dr. K. Kalyanasundaram who came from Switzerland received the first copy of the workshop proceeding and felicitated.

Thiru. ila. Sundaram, Co-ordinator, Department of Computational Tamil Studies thanked all the dignitaries on the dais for gracing the occasion by their presence and the participants of the workshop. He also thanked to LDC-IL of CIIL Mysore for their valuable financial support and to the management for providing all kinds of facilities to conduct this workshop. Thiru. A. Muthamizh Selvan Assistant Professor, Department of Computational Tamil Studies, Thamizh Academy compered the occasion.

TOP BACK
Visitor Counter

476618

Developed & Maintained by:
LDC-IL, CIIL
Copyright © LDC-IL,
Central Institute of Indian Languages
Central Institute of Indian Languages
Department of Higher Education
Ministry of Education
Government of India
Manasagangothri, Hunsur Road, Mysore-570006, Karnataka, India.
Tel: (0821) 2515820 (Director)
Reception/PABX : (0821) 2345000
Fax: (0821) 2515032 (Off)
        Home | Announcements | News | CIIL | Contact Us