By Our Reporter
SHILLONG, Jan 31: Curtain came down on the two-day Conference on Bharatiya Bhasha Pariwar, jointly organised by the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU), Regional Campus, Shillong, and the Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti, Ministry of Education.
The event, which concluded on Friday at the campus premises, brought together scholars to discuss the preservation of India’s linguistic heritage.
Speaking at the inaugural session, Prof. Mousumi Guha Banerjee, Director, EFLU Regional Campus, Shillong, reiterated the campus’s commitment to innovative teaching and research practices.
She underscored the importance of interdisciplinary scholarship focused on the ethnicities, cultures, values and knowledge systems of Northeast.
Chairman of the Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti, Padma Shri Chamu Krishna Shastry, who also was part of the programme, quoted Prime Minister Narendra Modi in stating that all mother tongues of India are national languages.
Highlighting that India possesses 1,369 languages as per the 2011 census, he argued that such classifications should not be used for political division but rather as a source of unity.
He stated that India’s linguistic plurality reflects the idea of Bhashayein Anek, Bhav Ek–many languages, one shared emotion and connection.
Shastry observed that while linguistic diversity is the country’s beauty, its true strength lies in unity; without unity, diversity cannot remain stable.
Stating that India has one common culture with many expressions, he said that differences in languages do not imply differences in people or cultures; instead, they form one Bhasha Parivar (language family).
Noting that linguistic conflicts were largely created during colonial rule through agenda-driven politics, he called for an integration of all linguistic expressions into a unified Indian language family to promote cooperation and national unity.
Chief Electoral Officer Dr. BDR Tiwari, who was the guest of honour, emphasised that languages and cultures exist in an interrelated continuum.
He observed that while Sanskrit is the oldest written language, the Northeast is home to numerous languages and ethnic communities, each possessing sacred significance beyond religious usage.
Calling for a departure from colonial modes of thought, he urged the adoption of indigenous perspectives on India’s knowledge systems and cultural heritage.
Others who addressed the gathering include Vice-Chancellor of Gauhati University Prof. Nani Gopal Mahanta, EFLU Hyderabad Vice-Chancellor Prof. N Nagaraju, et al.
During the inaugural session, dignitaries launched two books: Bharatiya Bhasha Pariwar: A New Framework in Linguistics and Collected Studies on Bharatiya Bhasha Pariwar: Perspectives and Horizons.
