There are many important days in the annual calendar of the United Nations which are observed world-wide by its member countries. The UN urges states to observe these days as a reminder of their importance to our human and ecological existence. February 21 has been listed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to be observed as International Mother Language Day for the past two decades. This year the theme is, ”Towards Sustainable Futures through Multilingual Education.” The UNESCO reiterates its commitment to linguistic diversity which in other words means a healthy respect for languages other than one’s own. Learning as many languages as is possible helps in better and more effective communication. This observance needs to be taken seriously especially by a country like India with its myriad language groups. In the North Eastern part of India alone there are over 238 languages and each of these is important for those who communicate through it, Hence they cannot be reduced to the status of dialects. They are as important as the major languages and they ought to be offered as subjects that students can opt to take up.
We must have noticed how people’s eyes immediately light up when we communicate in their language and how easily they resonate with what we say, than when they have to listen to a translation of our speeches. This heart connection is important especially for peace workers and teachers. It is a pity that in India too much importance has been given to English as a language of communication. English has now embedded itself even within families, so much so that parents and their children now communicate in English and thereby are no longer fluent in their mother languages. Many of the tribal languages of the North East are quickly becoming extinct because they have too few users and linguists to promote them. Some years ago the UNESCO has listed Khasi as an endangered language and this is not surprising.
Considering that English is the language in which most tribes have to write their important examinations in, parents insist that they excel in it. In the bargain the mother lguage is pushed to a secondary position. It is time now for educational institutions to promote the mother languages and to list as many languages as possible in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution so that they are given the pride of place they deserve.