AI Sanskrit Heritage Model launched at Madras Sanskrit College

Prime Minister Nirmala Sitharaman emphasized the importance of using AI to assist ordinary people in understanding renowned literary works such as those of poet Kalidasa. At the launch of Sanskrit Heritage Model at Madras Sanskrit College in association with Articul8, she discussed the potential use of AI to determine the extent to which Indian languages like Tamil and Sanskrit have spread through manuscripts, palm leaves, and copper plates.

The Finance Minister applauded the college for persevering through difficult times, maintaining its integrity, and preserving Sanskrit and its knowledge. Recognizing Sanskrit's advantageous structured nature, the college plans to adapt it to technology for the benefit of future generations. Ramesh Mahalingam, the college's director, highlighted that the institute had already begun providing technological support to over 20,000 individuals in 2017.

Articul8 AI, the company behind the AI model, showcased their innovative approach of encoding Panini's Ashtadhyayi, a 2,500-year-old grammar behind Sanskrit's rule set, as a live compiler and verifier within their system. This ensures that every response generated by the AI is both created and verified by the same machinery before reaching the scholar. The same rigorous process will extend to other Indic languages and knowledge systems.

The Sanskrit Heritage Model and Platform will continue to evolve based on feedback from Sanskrit scholars and ongoing testing. Collaborators at the event included Arun K. Subramaniyan, the founder and CEO of Articul8 AI, and Ananthanarayanan Shanmugam, the Managing Director of Articul8 AI, India. Former CEC and president of VKISET Trust, N. Gopalaswamy, and former CEO and MD of Tata Consultancy Services, S. Ramadorai, also attended.