Amid continuing discussions about Sanskrit’s role in modern technology, Delhi University has launched a new course that bridges the ancient language with the digital age. The Department of Sanskrit is now offering an elective titled “Computer Applications for Sanskrit”, aimed at students studying the subject across DU colleges.
Classified as a discipline-specific elective, the course offers students foundational computing skills with a focus on Sanskrit applications. It aims to equip learners with practical knowledge in areas such as Unicode typing in Devanagari script, web development using HTML, optical character recognition (OCR), and techniques for digitising and preserving Sanskrit texts, key components in the field of computational linguistics.
Subhash Chandra, the course designer and faculty member, said the objective is to showcase how Sanskrit can be integrated with modern technology. “We’ve developed tools such as grammar checkers, speech-to-text systems, and a research database for Sanskrit,” he explained. “This course will help students understand the coding and technical framework behind these innovations.”
The curriculum centres on developing web-based tools, Devanagari input systems, multimedia fundamentals, and e-learning concepts specifically for Sanskrit. While it doesn’t delve into advanced programming, it introduces basic coding principles that students can use to create digital platforms supporting the language.
Open to fourth-semester students with a working knowledge of Sanskrit, the course draws on tools developed by Delhi University’s Computational Linguistics Group and integrates concepts from software theory and logic. A dedicated module explores Optical Character Recognition (OCR) for Indian languages, offering students practical insights into its role in digitising and preserving ancient texts.
According to the syllabus, the course aims to familiarise students with ongoing research in Sanskrit computing and showcase tools developed through government and private sector initiatives. The goal is to equip learners with a foundational understanding of computational linguistics in Sanskrit and highlight how digital tools can enhance language study and scholarly research.
At a recent event, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta voiced strong support for integrating Sanskrit with modern technology. “Even NASA scientists have acknowledged Sanskrit as a scientific and highly computer-compatible language,” she said while speaking at the closing ceremony of a Sanskrit learning programme.
Since its launch in 2014, Delhi University’s Computational Linguistics Research and Development for Sanskrit initiative has worked on creating digital content, language analysis tools, and searchable databases of Sanskrit texts. The department also hosts summer programmes that invite students from various institutions to explore the connection between Sanskrit and digital technologies.
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