Prof. Gyanam Mahajan represents the University of California , Los Angeles . The paper presented by her in the Prof. M.B. Emeneau Centenary International Conference on South Asian Linguistics is titled "Heritage Language Learning and Linguistic Areas", where she asserts that heritage language learners are placed between the continuum L1 and L2, with reference to the students studying in American Universities.

        She states that heritage learners also belong to non-university language teaching programmes. Defining heritage learning she states that it is the general ability in a language, which is not task oriented. Her paper is based on the data obtained from ACTFL and ILR and a person's proficiency in a specific language is evaluated on the particular skills on the scales developed by these institutes. She explains the criteria like the context, content, accuracy, text produced and other different factors like global tasks, lexical control, socio-linguistic competence etc. In her observation of profile comprehension she asserts that the heritage language learners have a higher comprehension compared to non-heritage language learners. She terms some of these heritage learners who cannot read or write the second language as 'orthographically challenged'.

       Speaking on the Linguistic-Area Influence, Prof Mahajan, gives illustrations from heritage Hindi and heritage Punjabi and Heritage Dravidian, terming them as those who have spent time in India . She says that Linguistic-Area Influence is influenced by lexical and structural control and fluency.

       In conclusion, Prof. Mahajan's paper analyses the heritage language Linguistic-Area Influence in heritage language learning, and asserts that heritage learning depends on the background of the linguistic area of every learner.

       In the discussion, that followed the session chaired by Prof. Subbarao, Prof. Venkat Rao put-forth the opening question stating that Prof. Mahajan's paper was applicable to US students only, to which she replied that her studies was not limited to classrooms but also was applicable to non-university situations. She further explained that they had the background of Hindi, from their home environment. Regarding the other question raised by him, on the need of special education and why not common, mainstream education, Prof. Mahajan replied that the there was great demand from students for such kind of education in order to be proficient. Prof. Agnihotri suggested that the title of Prof. Mahajan's paper must be changed to "Heritage Hindi Language Teaching". Prof. D.P. Pattanayak's question was regarding the need for proficiency, to which Prof. Mahajan said that students want to appreciate what they learn and thus proficiency was essential. Prof. Gyanam Mahajan concluded that there was nothing subversive about this study and it is aimed to help people.