Contests mark International Mother Language Day at colleges, schools in Jalandhar
objective of these competitions was to promote love, respect and cultural awareness for the mother tongue among students
The International Mother Language Day was celebrated on various college campuses of the city on Saturday. The Language Forum of Guru Nanak Dev University College, Ladowali Road, organised an inter-college poetry recitation, poster making and speech competitions. The objective of these competitions was to promote love, respect and cultural awareness for the mother tongue among students.
Dr Sukhwinder Singh Sangha, former head, Punjabi Department, Regional Campus, attended the event as the chief guest. In his address, Dr Sangha highlighted the history and significance of Mother Language Day. He said, “Language is the soul of any nation and its protection is our collective responsibility. College in-charge Dr Ashish Arora urged students not to limit the Punjabi language to the curriculum only, but to make it an integral part of their daily lives.”
In the poetry recitation competition, Sukhanjot Singh Johal (Apeejay College) secured first place, Simranjit Kaur (HMV) second and Jaspreet Kaur third.
In the speech competition, Arshnoor Kaur secured first place, Prabhleen Kaur second, and Purva Aneja third. Similarly, in the poster making competition, Kiranpreet Kaur secured first place, Mahima second and Komal third.
The Raj Bhasha Samiti of Dr B R Ambedkar National Institute of Technology (NIT) also organised a celebration on the occasion of the International Mother Language Day. The event included cultural performances such as songs, poetry recitation, dance and shayari presented in different mother tongues. Students expressed their love and pride for their matribhasa and remembered the importance of this special day.
Prof Ajay Bansal, Registrar, spoke about the role of mother languages in shaping people’s identity and culture. He shared, “India is a country of many languages, and mother language connects us to our roots and traditions.”
Kanya Maha Vidyalaya's Postgraduate Punjabi Department organised a week-long celebration dedicated to the International Mother Language Day. The week featured a variety of activities, including essay writing, speech competitions, poetry recitation, calligraphy, poster making and slogan writing. Additionally, the event included Punjabi signature campaigns and concluded with a rally. The primary objective of these events was to acquaint the younger generation with their rich heritage and the profound importance of Punjabi literature and language.
Director Prof (Dr.) Atima Sharma Dwivedi said, “We must remain connected to our linguistic roots and stay honest with our culture, literature and language to achieve future progress.”
Winners of the competitions in various categories: Poster making - Jaspreet Kaur; slogan writing - Jaskiran Kaur; calligraphy - Simran Kaur; speech competition - Harneet Kaur; poetry recitation - Sevak Kaur and Harneet Kaur; and essay writing - Harneet Kaur.
The Post Graduate Department of Punjabi and the Punjabi Sahit Sabha of Hans Raj Mahila Maha Vidyalaya celebrated International Mother Language Day under the motivation of Principal Dr Ekta Khosla and guidance of Dr Navroop, head, Punjabi Department. Poetry recitation and Punjabi idioms and proverbs competitions dedicated to Mother Language Day were held on the occasion, in which around 130 students participated. Through their poetic expressions, the students presented their emotions and highlighted the importance of Punjabi as their mother tongue.
The competitions also provided a platform to assess students linguistic proficiency and creativity. Dr Navroop Kaur said the correct pronunciation of Punjabi, played a vital role in keeping the language alive. The winners were honoured with certificates and awards. Tanvi secured the first position, Harpinder Kaur stood second and Mansukh Singh bagged the third position. Parminder Kaur received the appreciation prize.
A poster making competition on the “Importance of mother tongue” was organised by the Punjabi Department, PCM SD College for Women and PCM SD. Collegiate Senior Secondary School for Girls. A total of 31 students from different classes participated in this competition. Narayani secured the first position, Ashu secured the second position and Garima came third. Principal Dr Pooja Prashar applauded the achievers and also appreciated the department faculty for organising the competition.
International Mother Language Day was celebrated at Lyallpur Khalsa College for Women. A poem recitation competition, a slogan writing competition and an awareness rally were organised on the occasion. Principal Dr Sarabjit Kaur Rai addressed students and shared her valuable thoughts on the Punjabi language and its various dimensions. In poem recitation competition, Muskan, Gurjit Kaur and Ramneet Kaur secured the top three positions. In slogan writing competition, Pradeep Kaur, Baronica and Lovleen secured prizes. The winners of the competitions were honoured with certificates.
