The global deliberations on information retrieval and evaluation of texts under the aegis
of the Forum for Information Retrieval Evaluation (FIRE 2021) are going to be helmed
by TCG CREST (Centres for Research and Education in Science and Technology), an
initiative of The Chatterjee Group (TCG).
TCG CREST is the second private sector led fundamental research institute in India to
have been privileged to co-host FIRE. This year’s event will be held from December 13 –
December 17, 2021 in virtual mode due to the COVID 19 restrictions. Started in 2008,
this is the 13th instance of FIRE to meet the challenges in multilingual information
access in this global connected digital world.
Science is moving very fast especially in the realm of computation. What was part of
fiction yesterday is now a reality. Asking a computer or mobile (voice based
interactions) to execute tasks is now a household experience. However, the technological
environment required to render speeches or texts in Indian languages into executable
tasks by computers are not yet in step with the progress made in English and some other
languages. FIRE 2021 deliberations will seek to initiate resolutions of the gaps that exist
in this sphere.
Evolution of computation protocol in every specific sphere is a globally collaborative
initiative with each sphere having its own deliberation body. FIRE, similarly, is focused
on multi lingual information retrieval and evaluation. This evolving system for Indian
sub-continental languages is seen as a game changer as it empowers the people at the
wrong end of the digital divide to access the system despite their challenges. From filling
in forms for eGovernance services, seeking legal recourse, knowledge dissemination for
skill development to detection of fake news can be done interactively in one’s own
language. It has a huge socio-economic inclusion possibility by creating easy access as
well as awareness creation.
About TCG CREST (https://www.tcgcrest.org/)
TCG CREST is the first fundamental research initiative from the private sector in
Eastern India. Founded by The Chatterjee Group (TCG) in 2019, TCG CREST, a not-for-profit
organization, is pursuing excellence in research and education through global
collaboration in the niche as well as cross-disciplinary areas for solving challenging
problems of societal significance.
About FIRE (http://fire.irsi.res.in)
Started in 2008 with the aim of building a South Asian counterpart for TREC, CLEF and
NTCIR, Forum for Information Retrieval Evaluation (FIRE) has since evolved
continuously to meet the new challenges in multilingual information access. FIRE
plenary lecture series by globally eminent speakers is one of the most coveted discourses
for the South Asian student and research community. FIRE 2021 will provide a space for
solution exchanges across multiple tracks, including detection of hate speech, fake news
and mixed language and a hackathon on Sanskrit language processing