By The Hindu Bureau

Copyright thehindu

“Our graduates will be exceptionally well prepared to use AI when the strength of Classical Tamil pedagogy is combined with essential English skills,” said Ami Upadhyay, Vice-Chancellor of Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Open University in Ahmedabad in Gujarat.

Delivering the convocation address at the 16th year convocation of Tamil Nadu Open University on Thursday, Prof. Upadhyay said: “We also have a heritage advantage. Classical Tamil pedagogy has always emphasised logic, discipline of thought and clarity of expression. When this strength is combined with essential English skills, our graduates will be exceptionally well prepared to use AI not only for personal growth, but also for advancing business, research and innovation.”

Stressing the need for preserving the ancient languages of India, Prof. Upadhyay said: “Indians should be proud of the fact that out of the seven most ancient languages, two are from India. They are Sanskrit and Tamil. National Education Policy 2020 stresses on mother tongue or regional language.”

Pointing to the gap between technological access and linguistic competence, Prof. Upadhyay said that the future will belong to those who can instruct AI thoughtfully and verify its outputs with wisdom.

“Institutions like Tamil Nadu Open University are uniquely positioned to pioneer this integration, by aligning AI training with language learning with a focus on reasoning, clarity and precision. When we walk with AI, we should always remember that natural intelligence has greater importance. We live in an era where AI is transforming every field of knowledge and work, supercharging AI productivity with language. In other words, the ability to think clearly, express precisely, and reason effectively will determine how successfully we harness the power of technology.”

Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi presided over the convocation. A total of 7972 graduates received their degrees.