Staff Reporter
GUWAHATI: Sri Krishna Rukmini Kalakshetra has organised the first 'World Endangered Languages Day' on March 16, 2025, at the Kalakshetra complex as a commemorative event honouring the martyrdom of Shaheed Sudeshna Sinha, who selflessly sacrificed her life for the preservation of the endangered Bishnupriya Manipuri language on this day in 1996.
The festivities unfolded from noon on March 16, 2025, and will culminate on World Tourism Day, September 28, 2025, as the first 'World Endangered Languages Utsav', celebrating linguistic diversity and promoting the preservation of endangered languages. Coinciding with the closing ceremony of the second Bharatiya Sanskritik Udsav, from the evening of February 21 to the morning of March 16, 2025, and India Tourism at Khompal at Kabuganj on the outskirts of Silchar.
The occasion was graced by Jayanta Halam, Samajpati and president of Halam Socio-Cultural Organisation, as the chief guest. He inaugurated the first 'World Endangered Languages Day'.
Ratan Halam, general secretary of Halam Socio-Cultural Organisation, was the distinguished guest, while the guests of honour were Mahim Tripura, Birendra Chandra Sinha, Hari Kanta Singha, Engjuimoni Halam, K. Aloka Devi, and Sukhamoy Tripura.
During the panel discussion, various issues of endangered linguistic groups in India, as declared by UNESCO, were raised to address. It urged the central government and state governments of Assam and Tripura to undertake initiatives to declare the Halam community as a hill tribe status alongside the formation of an autonomous council for the Halams. The demand for associate official language status for Bishnupriya Manipuri, Hindi, and Dimasa is also raised.
Bidhan Sinha, chairman of Sri Krishna Rukmini Kalakshetra, expressed his gratitude to Sri Mukteshwar Kemprai, president of Dimasa Writers' Forum, for sharing a common agenda on social media to observe March 16, 2025, as the 1st 'World Endangered Languages Day', an initiative of Sri Krishna Rukmini Kalakshetra.
The Dimasa Kachari language is endangered, and its speakers face an identity crisis despite being native to Assam. They are deprived of political empowerment due to fragmentation and different naming conventions in various districts. Nagaland: Kachari, Karbi Anglong: Dimasa Kachari, Hojai: Hojai Kachari, Nagaon: Kolong Kapili Poria, Dima Hasao: Dimasa Kachari, Cachar: Barman Kachari, Hailakandi/Karimganj: Rukimi Barman, Northern Brahmaputra Valley: Barman Kachari
The Dimasa Writers' Forum appeals to the governments of India and Assam to unify the naming convention as 'Dimasa Kachari' across all districts, recognising their shared language, culture, and customs.
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