Letters to the Editor: Urgent need to preserve the Assamese language

Urgent need to preserve the Assamese language

The Assamese language today stands at a crucial turning point, and it is a matter that deserves urgent public attention. Through your esteemed newspaper, I wish to express concern over the gradual decline in the proportional share of Assamese speakers in our own state.

Census figures over the decades reflect a worrying trend. In 1971, nearly 59 per cent of Assam’s population reported Assamese as their mother tongue. By 2011, this percentage had declined to around 48 per cent. Recent public discussions and demographic estimates suggest that the figure may have decreased further. While Assam has always been a land of rich linguistic diversity, the steady shrinking of the Assamese-speaking population raises serious questions about the future of the language.

Urbanization, migration, and the increasing dominance of English-medium education have significantly influenced language habits, especially among the younger generation. In many households, English or Hindi has become the primary language of communication, while Assamese is slowly being confined to formal occasions and festivals. When a language loses its natural place in daily life, it gradually weakens.

Although Assamese enjoys official language status in the state and has recently been recognised as a classical language, recognition alone is not enough. The consistent use of Assamese in administration, education, and digital platforms is essential for its survival. Schools must strengthen Assamese language teaching, government offices should ensure proper implementation in official communication, and media institutions must promote quality Assamese journalism and creative content.

Preserving Assamese does not mean opposing other languages. Assam’s diversity is its strength. The goal should be to maintain a balanced approach where multilingualism thrives, but Assamese remains the central cultural and communicative link of the state.

The survival of any language depends not only on policy but also on the people who speak it. Families must encourage children to speak Assamese confidently at home. Youth must take pride in expressing themselves in their mother tongue. If timely and collective efforts are not taken, the decline may become irreversible.

I hope this issue continues to receive serious attention and constructive dialogue in public platforms.

Parishmita Sarma

Pragjyotish College

Elephant menace in Batarhat and Dahali village

Through the columns of your esteemed newspaper, I would like to draw the attention of the concerned authorities and the public to the serious problem faced by the residents of the Batarhat Post Office area and Dahali village in Kamrup (R) district.

For the past several months, our locality has been suffering greatly due to the frequent movement of wild elephants in the main road and residential areas during the night. Almost every night, herds of elephants enter the village, damaging houses, crops, and property. Many families are living in constant fear, as elephants often break houses while searching for food. Unfortunately, there have also been incidents of human deaths in the past due to elephant attacks. The situation has become extremely alarming for the villagers, especially for children, elderly people, and farmers. People are unable to sleep peacefully at night and are worried about their safety and livelihood.

Therefore, we earnestly request the Assam Forest Department and the concerned authorities to take immediate and effective measures to control this problem. Necessary actions such as regular forest patrols, installation of early warning systems, creation of barriers, and safe relocation or management of elephant movement should be implemented at the earliest to protect the lives and property of the villagers.

We hope the authorities will treat this issue with urgency and provide a permanent solution to this growing problem.

Priyanka Nath,

Dahali, Palashbari

Impact of social media influencers on youth

Through the esteemed columns of your newspaper, I would like to highlight an important issue concerning today’s generation—the growing influence of social media influencers on youth.

Recently, social media platforms have become an integral part of young people's lives. Influencers on platforms such as Instagram, YouTube, and other digital media often shape the opinions, lifestyle choices, fashion trends, and even the values of millions of followers. Some influencers encourage creativity, learning, and being aware of social issues, but many others encourage unrealistic lifestyles, materialism, and unhealthy comparisons.

Young audiences, especially teenagers, are highly impressionable. When influencers promote expensive products, unrealistic beauty standards, or risky trends, it can negatively affect the self-esteem, mental health, and financial habits of young viewers. Moreover, many promotional posts are not clearly identified as advertisements, which can mislead audiences.

Influencers and social media companies should therefore behave responsibly. Proper guidelines, transparency in advertising, and digital literacy among young users are necessary to ensure that social media remains a constructive space rather than a harmful one. I hope this issue receives the attention it deserves from policymakers, educators, and society at large.

Suity Bora

Guwahati

Respecting women beyond symbolism

On the occasion of International Women’s Day, it is important to reflect on the place of women in Indian culture and civilization. Since ancient times, Indian traditions and mythological scriptures have emphasized respect, dignity, and welfare for women. From the era of the Indus Valley Civilization to today’s age of technological advancement and artificial intelligence, women have remained central to the moral and cultural foundations of Indian society.

However, despite these values, incidents of violence and injustice against women still occur in our country. This contradiction between cultural ideals and social realities calls for serious reflection. True respect for women should not remain limited to symbolic worship; it must be practised in everyday life. Education, awareness, and responsible social attitudes are essential for building a safer and more respectful society. By promoting these values, we can strengthen women’s dignity and contribute to a more progressive nation.

Sankalpajit Saikia

Nagaon University

Middle East in chaos

The targeted assassination of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has plunged the Middle East into chaos. For more than three decades, Khamenei acted as a supreme adjudicator of both the clerics and military authority of Iran. Due to his intransigent stand in political and religious matters, he faced denouncement within the state of Iran. After his death, Iran's authority is now facing a leadership vacuum. And since the governance of Khamenei had blended both ideological rigidity and politics together, it remains a challenge for the person taking his chair to maintain the balance between religion and state affairs when a big fraction of the population has already jettisoned fanaticism. The massive protest over collapsing Iranian currency and state mismanagement of public facilities last year has exposed that people are preferring economic stability and better living conditions over hardline theocracy. Though the US has professed the killing of Khamenei as an attempt for "regime change" in Iran, the absence of any perceptible internal revolution and continuity of the war reveals that such an outcome is unlikely to happen immediately. Khamenei's rule was far from a stable one, characterized  by harsh oppression of dissenting voices and incarceration of journalists and activists. Khamenei's prioritizing ideological goals over national interest has led to the international isolation of Iran. The US and Israel attacked Iran together, but it's clear that Washington will decide who leads the country.  Currently, Iran's attacks on Arab countries as a retaliatory measure are likely to have global ramifications, as evidenced by the sudden spike in crude oil prices in the international market and the crashing of stock indices worldwide.  India will have to manage smoothly through diplomatic engagement if a crisis deepens in the future.

Kabir Ahmed Saikia

Rajabari, Jorhat

Hats Off

Finally, after a long, patient wait of 68 years, Jammu & Kashmir has finally written their name in the annals of the prestigious Ranji Trophy. In the final, Jammu & Kashmir, a completely new team in the nation's cricket scene and lacking both national-level cricketers and an international cricket venue, caused the biggest upset by beating the star-studded Karnataka in a one-sided match. Jammu and Kashmir's historic performance serves as a reminder to Assam cricket that anything is possible with sincere efforts.

Dr. Ashim Chowdhury,

Guwahati.

Chicken’s Neck Corridor: The Strategic Significance

A narrow strip of land can sometimes carry the weight of an entire nation’s security and unity. When geography creates such a fragile connection, it becomes far more than just a route on the map; it becomes a symbol of national resilience. Any region that depends on a single, thin lifeline for access to the rest of the country inevitably exposes itself to strategic, economic and humanitarian vulnerabilities. This reality should push policymakers to think far beyond routine governance and treat such spaces as critical arteries of national stability. The real challenge is not merely about defending territory but about strengthening connectivity, development, and preparedness. A nation cannot afford to rely on one fragile passage when millions of lives, regional economies, and national security depend on it. Infrastructure must be robust, alternatives must be developed, and the surrounding regions must be empowered socially and economically to ensure that they can withstand disruptions and support the overall stability of the nation. When people feel secure, included and prosperous, they too become the strongest guardians of the land they inhabit. Simultaneously, these fragile geographic connections serve as a reminder that modern national security extends beyond mere military might. It also includes strategic planning, regional diplomacy, technological surveillance, disaster preparedness and inclusive development. Ignoring these dimensions would mean underestimating the silent risks that geography can impose. Ultimately, the strength of a nation is measured not by how large its map appears but by how well it protects the fragile points that hold it together. Safeguarding such lifelines is not simply a strategic necessity; it's a responsibility toward national unity, sovereignty, and the millions of citizens whose lives depend on those connections.

Aditya Kamble

(adiikamble16@gmail.com)