93 trainees get certificates at Tankri script workshop in Mandi varsity

The valedictory ceremony of the Tankri script training workshop was held at Sardar Patel University in Mandi district on Saturday. A total of 93 trainees were awarded certificates during the programme aimed at preserving the region’s ancient script heritage.

The Department of History and the Bharatiya Gyan Parampara Cell of the university jointly organised the workshop. Vice-Chancellor Lalit Kumar Awasthi as the chief guest of the closing ceremony held at the Amrit Mahotsav Auditorium, Swami Vivekananda Bhawan of the university. Chet Ram Garg, Director of the Thakur Ramsingh Research Institute, Neri (Hamirpur), presided over the workshop while Yagyadatt Sharma, Assistant Professor at Sanskrit University, Balahar (Kangra), delivered the keynote address.

Yagyadatt Sharma elaborated on the historical significance of the Tankri script, emphasising its crucial role in documenting the administrative, cultural and religious history of the Western Himalayas. He underscored the need for preservation, research and public awareness to prevent the script from fading into obscurity.

Garg said that learning the Tankri script enabled the younger generations to reconnect with their cultural roots and better understand the intellectual traditions of the region. The Vice-Chancellor stressed the importance of safeguarding India’s knowledge traditions and linguistic diversity. He said that around 250 languages in the country were believed to have disappeared over time and initiatives like the Tankri workshop were vital for protecting linguistic and cultural heritage.