29th Edition · Department of Humanities and Social Sciences
A scholarly forum on the languages of the greater Himalayan region, convening at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi from 30 October – 1 November 2026.
The Himalayan Languages Symposium is an annual, open scholarly forum dedicated to the languages of the greater Himalayan region. We welcome contributions on any language of this area — including Burushaski, Kusunda, Tibeto-Burman, Indo-Iranian, Austroasiatic, Kradai, Andamanese, Nihali, and Dravidian languages, among others.
Alongside linguistic research, the symposium invites contributions from related disciplines such as history, anthropology, archaeology, and prehistory. The forum is strictly secular and scholarly in character, and is not open to political or religious contributions.
We are pleased to announce that the 29th Himalayan Languages Symposium will be held at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi from 30 October to 1 November 2026, hosted by the Department of Humanities and Social Sciences.
The Himalayan Languages Symposium is a multidisciplinary conference covering a broad range of topics relating to the languages of the Himalayan region. As described on the symposium's official website (himalayansymposium.org), contributions are welcomed on any language of the greater Himalayan region — including Burushaski, Kusunda, Tibeto-Burman, Indo-Iranian, Austroasiatic, Kradai, Andamanese, Nihali, and Dravidian languages — as well as from related disciplines such as history, anthropology, archaeology, and prehistory.
At this year's edition, hosted at IIT Delhi, we will give particular attention to the following areas of research:
We invite long abstracts for submission. Each abstract should not exceed two A4 pages, inclusive of all data, figures, and references. Every submission undergoes blind peer review by at least two reviewers, with acceptance decided on the basis of their recommendations. Accepted abstracts will be archived on this website.
Submissions are managed through the Microsoft CMT service, provided free of charge by Microsoft, which bears all associated costs, including Azure cloud services and software development and support.
Please create an account using your official or institutional email address (preferred) and submit the title and a two-page PDF abstract through the system.
Abstract submission deadline:
17 March 2026
Leading scholars in Trans-Himalayan linguistics will deliver plenary lectures over the course of the symposium.
Professor of Linguistics, Centre for Linguistics, Jawaharlal Nehru University. With 27 years of academic experience spanning generative syntax and morphology, child language acquisition, field and descriptive linguistics, language politics, and Partition studies, Professor Kidwai is a recipient of the Infosys Prize in the Humanities and was elected a Corresponding Fellow of the British Academy in 2023.
Professor of Linguistics, The University of Sydney. Her research in historical, comparative, and typological linguistics focuses on the documentation and analysis of under-studied languages of the Eastern Himalayas, including a major monograph on Kurtöp published by Brill.
Professor of Linguistics, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Guwahati. His research centres on phonetics and speech science — acoustic and articulatory analysis, speech perception, and language technology for under-resourced South Asian and Tibeto-Burman languages.
Vice Provost for Graduate and Postdoctoral Programs, New York University Abu Dhabi. A specialist in Tibeto-Burman languages, she is the founding director of InField/CoLang and author of A Grammar of Dolakha Newar and the textbook How Languages Work.
Registration secures your place at HLS-29 and includes access to all plenary lectures, parallel sessions, and the conference's social programme, along with three lunches and daily tea and snacks. Please use the form that matches your nationality below. The registration window closes on 15 July 2026.
| Category | Students | Non-Students |
|---|---|---|
| Indian & SAARC | ₹3,000 + 18% GST (₹3,540 incl. GST) | ₹5,000 + 18% GST (₹5,900 incl. GST) |
| Foreign | USD 80 + 18% GST (USD 94.40 incl. GST) | USD 150 + 18% GST (USD 177 incl. GST) |
Registration deadline: 15 July 2026 · Fees cover access to all plenary lectures, parallel sessions, and the conference's social programme.
The detailed conference programme is being finalised and will be published here closer to the event.
Delhi, India's capital, is a city where more than a thousand years of history sit alongside a fast-moving contemporary capital. Late October through early November — the dates of HLS-29 — falls during the city's most pleasant season, with clear skies and comfortable daytime temperatures, making it an excellent time to extend your visit and explore beyond the conference venue.
Three UNESCO World Heritage Sites lie within the city: the Qutub Minar, a 12th-century minaret and the tallest brick minaret in the world; Humayun's Tomb, a Mughal garden-tomb that prefigured the Taj Mahal; and the Red Fort, the historic seat of Mughal power in Old Delhi. Within easy reach are India Gate and the ceremonial avenue of Rajpath, the lotus-shaped Bahá'í House of Worship, and the vast Akshardham Temple complex, and Rajghat, the memorial marking the cremation site of Mahatma Gandhi.
For a more immersive experience, the lanes of Chandni Chowk in Old Delhi offer some of the country's oldest markets and street food, while Hauz Khas Village — a short distance from the IIT Delhi campus — pairs a 14th-century reservoir and madrasa with contemporary cafés, galleries, and bookshops.
The city is served by an extensive metro network, and IIT Delhi itself is connected to most major landmarks within a 30–45 minute journey. We will share a short visitor's guide with practical travel tips closer to the conference dates.
A limited number of rooms are available on the IIT Delhi campus, and the organising committee can help you get accommodation on a first-come, first-served basis, subject to availability. Off-campus options are widely available within a short distance of the venue and may be booked directly by participants.
To request on-campus or nearby accommodation for the conference dates.
Request AccommodationIIT Delhi maintains three on-campus guest houses — Research & Innovation Park, Gulmohar, and Amaltas — offering subsidised rooms for visiting delegates, hosted by a faculty member. Rates vary by room category and are confirmed at the time of booking.
To request a stay at Gulmohar or Amaltas, please use the "Request Accommodation" form above; the organising committee will confirm availability and current rates directly.
A wide range of hotels and serviced apartments are available within a short distance of the IIT Delhi campus, particularly in Hauz Khas, Green Park, Safdarjung Enclave, and Panchsheel Park — most within a 10–20 minute drive or a short metro ride of the venue. Participants are welcome to book off-campus accommodation independently using the links below.
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, IIT Delhi
Interested in sponsoring HLS-29? We welcome institutional and corporate sponsors — write to us at hls29.iitd@gmail.com to discuss sponsorship opportunities.
Department of Humanities and Social Sciences
5th Floor, Main Building
Indian Institute of Technology Delhi
Hauz Khas, New Delhi – 110016, India