Tezpur University observes International Mother Language Day

OUR CORRESPONDENT

TEZPUR: The Department of Assamese, Tezpur University, organized a two-day programme to observe the International Mother Language Day on February 20 and 21, 2026. Prof Nirajana Mahanta Bezborah, a noted academician from the Department of Assamese, Dibrugarh University, delivered a special lecture on the topic 'Mother Tongue and Language Attitude.'

In her lecture, Prof Bezborah highlighted that language served two primary purposes: expressing oneself and understanding others. She cautioned against both linguistic superiority and inferiority complexes, noting that assuming English speakers to be inherently more knowledgeable is problematic, just as believing one's own language to be inherently superior can be limiting.

She underscored that 'jaatiya chetana' (national consciousness) and 'jibon chetana' (life consciousness) were deeply intertwined with language and that without linguistic self-awareness, the collective strength of a nation weakened. Language, she noted, was not merely a tool of communication but also a means of conditioning, empowerment, and access to progress. While inclusive education is most effective through the mother tongue - a key objective of the United Nations in observing International Mother Language Day - she expressed concern that many languages were not yet fully equipped to deliver education. The shrinking opportunities for future generations to learn in their mother tongues, she remarked, were a serious concern.

Prof Dhruba Kumar Bhattacharyya of the Department of Computer Science & Engineering, Tezpur University, spoke on the technological dimensions of language preservation. He explained how supercomputers and artificial intelligence systems were increasingly capable of translating languages. However, he stressed that the existence of comprehensive linguistic repositories and digital depositories was crucial for accurate preservation and translation. He said that many languages today faced the threat of endangerment, and that addressing this challenge required multidisciplinary and multi-institutional research efforts. Technology and language must move together to ensure that no community is left behind, he said.

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