The 9th International Conference on South Asian Languages (ICOSAL-9), organised by the Department of Linguistics and Punjabi Lexicography, Punjabi University, Patiala, and the Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore, concluded on Saturday.

According to Joga Singh, director of the conference, nearly 300 delegates representing 15 countries, participated in the meet. These included linguists from US, UK, Brazil, Iran, Bulgaria, Russia, Romania, Hungary, Pakistan, Nepal, Korea, Czech Republic and India.

In all, 36 academic sessions were held over a period of three days. Scholars on South Asian languages deliberated on various aspects of linguistics, including sociolinguistics, historical linguistics, semiotics, language teaching, translation and computational linguistics.

About 170 research papers were presented and discussed during the conference.

The valedictory session was presided over by Vice-Chancellor of Punjabi University, Jaspal Singh. In his address, he emphasised the need to relate the current scholarship in linguistics to other pressing issues staring in the face the mankind today.

S S Noor, vice-president, Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, also spoke on the occasion. He highlighted the need to connect the languages of South Asia in various ways, including by means of translation.

O N Koul, in his remarks, noted the successful accomplishment of the conference and its significant contribution to the study of languages.

Boris Zakharin from Moscow University and Gopal Thakur, member of the Language and Culture, Constituent Assembly of Nepal, were the other guests of honour.