By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Oct 6: A Hajong Students’ Youth Voice (HSYV) delegation, led by chairman Nobaram Hajong and secretary Chandan Hajong, met the Director of Census Operations in Shillong on Monday to press for the preservation of the Hajong mother tongue and its recognition as a distinct language in official census records.
The meeting marked a significant step in the organisation’s ongoing efforts to safeguard the linguistic and cultural heritage of the Hajong community. The delegation highlighted the urgent need for concrete measures to ensure the proper documentation and recognition of the Hajong language in future census exercises.
“Our mother tongue is the soul of our community and a vital part of our cultural identity,” said Chairman Nobaram Hajong. “This discussion with the Director of Census Operations is crucial to ensure that the Hajong language is given its rightful and distinct place in official records, thereby protecting it for future generations.”
During the meeting, the HSYV presented specific recommendations outlining how census methodologies could better reflect the unique linguistic identity of the Hajong people. Secretary Chandan Hajong underscored the importance of a distinct language identity for securing government support and resources for language development.
“Accurate census data is fundamental to the allocation of resources for linguistic development,” he said. “Establishing a distinct identity for the Hajong language in the census is not just a matter of statistics; it’s a matter of cultural survival and empowerment.”
