In a distinguished effort to explore and promote literary and cultural harmony among Indian languages, the Department of Hindi, University of Hyderabad, in collaboration with the Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti, Ministry of Education, Government of India, organized a two-day National Seminar on the theme “Intercommunication Among Indian Languages: Literature, Culture, and Society” on October 9–10, 2025.
The inaugural session commenced on October 9 at 10:30 AM, graced by the presence of Dr. Devesh Nigam, Registrar of the University of Hyderabad, as the Chief Guest. The keynote address was delivered by renowned linguist Prof. Manikyamba ‘Mani’, who offered profound insights into the linguistic interrelations across Indian languages. The seminar was further enriched by the presence of distinguished guests including Prof. Tangamaniamma (University of Trivandrum, Kerala), Prof. Shashi Mudiraj (Hyderabad), and Prof. Pulikonda Subba Chari (Dravidian University). Prof. Vishnu Sarvade extended a warm welcome to the guests, while Prof. Charla Annapurna introduced the seminar theme. The session was chaired by Prof. M.T. Ansari, Dean, School of Humanities.
On this occasion, a special issue of the journal Sankalya, edited by Prof. Annapurna and focused on the challenges of translation among South Indian languages, was formally released.
The seminar comprised four academic sessions, featuring participation from eminent scholars, researchers, and authors from across the country. Notable among them were Prof. Prabhashankar Premi (Bangalore University, Karnataka), Prof. Chandrashekhar Reddy (Andhra Pradesh), Prof. Sunita Manjanbail (Central University of Karnataka), Dr. Padmavati (Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu), Dr. M. Sudha (Hyderabad), Prof. Vidyanand Arya (Osmania University, Hyderabad), Prof. Gajendra Pathak (Hyderabad), Prof. M. Shyamrao (Hyderabad), Prof. Anjaneyulu (Hyderabad), Dr. Malobika (English and Foreign Languages University), Dr. Nageshwar Rao (Kanchikamkoti Sanskrit University, Tamil Nadu), and Dr. Amarnath Prajapati (Vijayapura, Karnataka), among many other scholars from South India who presented their papers.
A special session was dedicated to encouraging young scholars and students to pursue research in this domain. Fourteen research scholars and students presented their papers, with the session being moderated by Prof. M. Shyamrao.
One of the seminar’s highlights was the valedictory session, which included a felicitation of eminent Hindi–Telugu translator Dr. Kamal Kumari, known for her translations of Tulsidas’s Ramcharitmanas and other significant works into Telugu. Prof. R.S. Sarraju from the Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti, New Delhi, addressed the need for translation of non-literary texts among Indian languages and shared the committee’s ongoing initiatives in this regard. Prof. K.L. Verma, Vice Chancellor of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj University, Navi Mumbai, served as the special guest and spoke on the intercommunication of scientific and technical terminology. The session was chaired by Prof. V. Krishna, Department of Hindi, University of Hyderabad.
Another cultural highlight of the seminar was the devotional music evening organized by the Department of Music, Sarojini Naidu School of Theatre Arts and Communication. Renowned vocalist Dr. Asmita Mishra delivered an emotive performance of devotional compositions by Tulsidas, Surdas, Kabir, and Mirabai.
The seminar witnessed participation from over 200 writers, researchers, and students from various cities. The event concluded with a formal vote of thanks delivered by Dr. J. Atmaram, Seminar Coordinator, who expressed gratitude to all speakers, distinguished guests, and participants.
By: Dr. J. Atmaram, Coordinator, National Seminar, Department of Hindi, University of Hyderabad