Jammu, May 05: A select group of undergraduate and postgraduate students from the School of Languages and Literature, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU), actively participated in a pioneering national workshop titled “Bringing Tribal Culture and Language into the Technical Landscape”, hosted by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Jammu.
The workshop convened scholars, academics, and cultural researchers to explore innovative ways of preserving and integrating tribal languages and traditions within contemporary technological frameworks. The participating students were accompanied by Dr Anurag Kumar, Associate Professor and Head of the School of Languages and Literature, who also served as a panellist in the session titled “Navigating Socio-Cultural Terrains among the Gujjars of Jammu and Kashmir”. Dr Kumar’s insights highlighted the richness and complexities of Gujjar cultural identity, and stressed the need to bridge socio-cultural knowledge with emerging digital platforms.
The workshop underscored the value of interdisciplinary engagement and the vital role academic institutions play in fostering inclusive, culturally sensitive innovation. The involvement of SMVDU’s School of Languages and Literature reflects the university’s growing commitment to collaborative efforts that amplify the voices of underrepresented communities while promoting cultural heritage through education and technology.
