KATHE 2026 invites AI-powered solutions; submissions open till August 17
Srinagar, August 9: The National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar has announced KATHE 2026: AI Challenge for Kashmiri Language Translation, a national-level competition aimed at using Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Natural Language Processing (NLP) for the preservation and advancement of the Kashmiri language.
The initiative is being organised by Gaash Lab, NIT Srinagar, in collaboration with the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), with the University of Kashmir as the academic collaborator and GitHub as the primary sponsor.
Envisioned as a nationwide platform for students, the challenge seeks to promote the application of AI and NLP to one of India’s low-resource languages. The competition will focus on developing English-to-Kashmiri machine translation models and will be hosted on the Kaggle platform.
The platform will allow participants to build, test and evaluate computational models for Kashmiri, which remains significantly underrepresented in modern AI systems.
According to the organisers, KATHE 2026 is intended to encourage students, researchers and technology enthusiasts from across the country to contribute to the development of language technologies for Kashmiri, while demonstrating the broader role of AI in supporting regional languages.
The initiative also seeks to bring together academia, researchers and technology stakeholders to create a collaborative ecosystem where technological innovation can contribute to both digital advancement and the preservation of linguistic heritage.
Submissions open till August 17
Online submissions for the competition are currently open on Kaggle. Participants can register, access the competition dataset and evaluation framework, explore learning resources and submit their machine translation models.
The competition is open to students from across India, with August 17, 2026 set as the deadline for online submissions.
The competition will culminate in an offline finale on August 21, 2026, at NIT Srinagar, where shortlisted teams will demonstrate their AI models during a live evaluation.
The finale will also feature expert lectures and interactive sessions on Artificial Intelligence, Natural Language Processing, language technology and the specific challenges involved in developing AI systems for low-resource languages such as Kashmiri.
The event will conclude with the felicitation of the winning teams in recognition of their innovative and technically strong contributions to English-to-Kashmiri machine translation.
The organisers said the competition is expected to inspire the next generation of AI researchers to develop inclusive language technologies that reflect India’s linguistic diversity, while creating new opportunities for Kashmiri to become an active part of the country’s rapidly evolving digital and artificial intelligence ecosystem.
KATHE 2026 is being positioned as a significant AI initiative focused on the Kashmiri language, offering participants hands-on experience with AI-driven language technologies while strengthening research and innovation in regional language computing.
It’s exciting to see NIT Srinagar taking such a proactive step in promoting the Kashmiri language through AI translation. This challenge could pave the way for better accessibility and preservation of our cultural heritage. relevant link
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The announcement of the AI challenge for Kashmiri language translation by NIT Srinagar is a significant step towards enhancing linguistic diversity in the digital age. By encouraging innovation in language technology, this initiative not only strengthens the use of Kashmiri but also helps future generations connect with their heritage. This could be a great opportunity for students and tech enthusiasts alike to contribute meaningfully to the preservation of our culture. this resource
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