Guv: Must encourage kids to speak mother tongue

Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 21

Governor NN Vohra inaugurated a three-day ‘J&K Literary and Cultural Festival’ on the occasion of International Mother Tongue Day, organised by the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art Culture and Languages, here today.

The Governor, who is the patron of the academy, complimented Dr Azizi Hajini, academy secretary, and his colleagues, for regularly organising meaningful activities in the field of art and literature in all three regions of the state.

The Governor said such events were useful for promoting heritage and culture and urged that youth from high schools and colleges should be involved in such festivals.

He said one could learn to appreciate the nuances of a society’s culture only through its language and urged that children should be encouraged to learn and speak their mother tongue.

Noting the role which is required to be played by the academy in promoting art, culture and languages in J&K, which has three regions, distinct in their geography, climate and culture, the Governor said the academy could provide valuable platforms for the three regions to come together and understand each other’s traditions, cultures and art forms. He urged organising more programmes where youth could meet and learn about each other.

The Governor released ‘Who’s Who of J&K Writers/Artists’, which is a directory containing information of writers and artists of the state and the annual report of the academy. He said the directory would be very useful as it was a handy compilation of all writers and artists in the state.

Earlier, the Governor inaugurated ‘Nostalgic Kashmir’, a photo exhibition organised by SR Wani, in which a collection of photographs from 1850s to 1950s of royalty, Kashmiri Pandits and temples of Jammu and Kashmir have been displayed. The Governor suggested to Hajini that these rare photographs should be compiled in book form with suitable titles to explain each picture.

Priya Sethi, MoS, Tourism and Culture, stressed the need for encouraging children to learn and speak their mother tongue and promised the government’s active support in the promotion of art and culture in the state.

The keynote address was given by Darshan Darshi, noted Dogri writer and Prof Naseem Shafai, prominent Kashmiri poetess, spoke about the importance of the mother tongue.

The welcome address was presented by Dr Azizi Hajini and the vote of thanks given by Dr AS Aman, additional secretary of the academy.