Sanskrit can be used for coding, NASA has written papers on it: Delhi CM Rekha Gupta - 'most computer-friendly language'

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta has claimed that Sanskrit is a ‘scientific’ language, and that even NASA has acknowledged it as such. Gupta made the remark addressing the closing ceremony of a 10-day Sanskrit learning initiative in New Delhi on 4 May.

"Even NASA scientists have written papers on Sanskrit and have confirmed that it is a scientific language. Coding can be done in Sanskrit. Sanskrit is the most computer-friendly language," Gupta was quoted as saying by news agency PTI.

The Chief Minister's assertion was likely based on a 1985 paper published in AI Magazine. The paper, titled ‘Knowledge Representation in Sanskrit and Artificial Intelligence’, was authored by Rick Briggs, a researcher associated with NASA Ames Research Centre, who sought to prove that a "natural language can serve as an artificial language also."

Briggs, about whom little else is known, cited in the paper ancient Sanskrit grammarians who "accomplished" a method for "paraphrasing Sanskrit in a manner that is identical not only in essence but in form with current work in Artificial Intelligence."

Societal bias against Sanskrit

At the event on 4 May, Chief Minister Gupta said that a societal bias viewed fluency in foreign languages as a sign of intelligence, while often dismissing Sanskrit.

"If our children speak French, German or English fluently, then we consider that child very bright and take pride in that. But when a child can speak Sanskrit with the same fluency, it is not considered a big deal," she said.

Gupta argued that Sanskrit is not only foundational to Indian culture but also integral to many Indian languages.

"Every state has a mother tongue, but in reality, Sanskrit is our mother tongue as every language has descended from Sanskrit. Hindi, Marathi, Bengali, Sindhi, Malayalam -- these are all branches of Sanskrit," she said.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh also attended the event.

The Delhi government, in collaboration with the NGO Samskrita Bharati, conducted free Sanskrit classes from 23 April at 1,008 locations across the city schools, colleges, and temples, with daily two-hour sessions focusing on the basics of the language.

(With PTI inputs)