ISLAMABAD, Feb 09 (APP):A launching ceremony of the artificial intelligence-based linguistic software “Gramora for Urdu” was held at Allama Iqbal Open University to promote the Urdu language and align it with modern technological requirements.
The chief guests of the ceremony were Minister of State for Education and Professional Training Ms. Wajiha Qamar and senior politician and intellectual Senator Pervez Rashid while the event was hosted by Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Nasir Mahmood.
Addressing the ceremony, Wajiha Qamar said that Urdu is a symbol of our national identity and cultural heritage and linking it with modern technologies such as artificial intelligence is an important need of the time. She stated that this software would prove to be a significant advancement in the fields of academic research, digital learning, translation and natural language processing.
Senator Pervez Rashid said that Urdu is not merely a language of communication but a custodian of our intellectual and cultural history and that such linguistic software will play an important role in securing the digital future of the Urdu language.
He termed the software an extraordinary and commendable initiative, describing it as a major milestone among efforts undertaken so far. On this occasion, he congratulated Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Nasir Mahmood and Director of the Centre for Languages and Translation Studies, Dr. Ghulam Ali on this successful endeavor.
Former Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan Hafiz Hafeez-ur-Rehman said that nations progress through their mother tongues. Emphasizing the commercialization of the software, he added that in the future it should be available on every student’s mobile phone.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Dr. Nasir Mahmood stated that the university is utilizing modern research and technology for the promotion of the national language. He explained that “Gramora for Urdu” will play an effective role in automated linguistic analysis, text classification, and the processing of speech and written data.
At the beginning of the ceremony, the distinguished guests formally unveiled the software and appreciated the efforts of the development team. Dr. Kamran Jahangir, Managing Director of the National Book Foundation and renowned columnist Khursheed Nadeem described the project as an important milestone toward the digital future of the Urdu language.
The ceremony was organized by the Centre for English Language and Translation Studies of the university. The Centre’s Director Dr. Ghulam Ali highlighted the aims and objectives of the project, while faculty member Dr. Lubna Umar gave a detailed briefing on the various stages of development and the technical aspects of the software.