MUMBAI, Sept. 16 -- In a landmark move to safeguard India's rich linguistic and cultural traditions, the University of Mumbai (MU) has established its first-ever Centre of Excellence in Heritage Languages and Cultural Studies at the Kalina campus. The union government has approved nearly Rs.50 crore in funding for the initiative under the Pradhan Mantri Jan Vikas Karyakram scheme. The foundation stone for the centre was laid on Monday by Union Minister for Minority Affairs and Parliamentary Affairs Kiren Rijiju, in the presence of MU vice-chancellor prof Ravindra Kulkarni, senior officials from the Ministry of Minority Affairs, and other dignitaries. Prof Kulkarni underlined the centre's mission, stating, "It will focus on research, study, and conservation of India's linguistic heritage, with special emphasis on ancient languages such as Pali, Prakrit, and Avesta-Pahlavi. Rare literature, manuscripts, and inscriptions will be systematically studied and preserved." He added that the centre will pioneer educational programmes, digitisation drives, and leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning in language research. The initiative aims to link ancient Indian languages with regional and global linguistic traditions. It will also support the National Education Policy by developing higher education content in all 22 languages recognised by the Constitution. Translation of academic material into Marathi and Hindi is already underway, with other languages to follow. Addressing the gathering, Rijiju called the centre's establishment at a MU a matter of national pride. "This project transcends academics. It will strengthen India's cultural roots and shape its educational future," he said, adding that the initiative reflects the nation's inclusive ethos and will significantly boost heritage language studies. Chandra Shekhar Kumar, secretary of the Ministry of Minority Affairs, described the initiative as "commendable" and highlighted MU's advanced research infrastructure, including carbon dating facilities. He also recommended forging student exchange programmes with other language research centres to further enrich the work....