Crucial to incorporate rich linguistic, folkloric traditions in mainstream education: Governor

The 11th All India Conference on Linguistics and Folklore 2025 concluded on Friday at Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) with a valedictory function that celebrated scholarly dialogue on the pivotal theme: “The Role of Language, Folklore and Culture in Education and Nation-Building: NEP 2020.”

This three-day event brought together distinguished academicians, linguists and cultural custodians from 22 states across the country to reflect on the transformative potential of language and indigenous traditions in the framework of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

The Governor of Punjab, Gulab Chand Kataria, graced the occasion as the chief guest. In his speech, he emphasised the importance of celebrating linguistic diversity and cultural heritage to strengthen the educational and national identity. Appreciating India’s linguistic plurality, he said that language was not just a medium of instruction, but the soul of a civilisation. As NEP 2020 is implemented, it is crucial to incorporate our rich linguistic and folkloric traditions into mainstream education, he said, adding that language diversity and preservation of traditions were a must for strengthening the cultural fabric of the nation.

The event commenced with a welcome address by Dr SS Gosal, Vice-Chancellor, PAU, who highlighted the university’s commitment to interdisciplinary dialogue and the preservation of regional cultures. He noted that the institution remained deeply invested in promoting Punjabi language and folklore, not just as academic subjects, but as vital components of identity and nation-building.

The keynote address was delivered by Prof G K Panikker, Dean of the Dravidian Linguistics Association of India, who provided a comprehensive analysis of how the NEP 2020 opened new avenues for the integration of indigenous knowledge systems into formal education. He emphasised the need to recognise local languages and cultural narratives in curricula to democratise education and empower communities. Jaswant Zafar, Director of Bhasha Vibhag, Punjab, spoke about the department’s initiatives to revitalise folk traditions and support linguistic research. Dr BS Khaira, President of the Linguistics Association, Patiala, lauded the conference for fostering academic exchange and collaboration among linguists, folklorists and educators.

The event featured the release of the conference souvenir, edited by Dr Rakhpreet Kaur Walia, Dr Ranjeet Kaur, Dr Jagdish Kaur and Dr Sumedha Bhandari of AJLC department, documenting the diverse scholarly contributions shared throughout the sessions.

As part of the felicitation ceremony, eminent scholars and contributors in the fields of language, culture and folklore were honoured for their distinguished contributions to the conference and their respective areas of expertise.

Among those felicitated were Harpreet Singh Sandhu, State Information Commissioner, Punjab; Prof GK Panikker, Dean of the Dravidian Linguistics Association of India; Dr MJ Warsi, Professor, Aligarh Muslim University; Jaswant Zafar, Director, Bhasha Vibhag, Punjab; and Dr BS Khaira, President of the Linguistics Association, Patiala; Dimple Madan, DEO, Ludhiana; Dr Kiran Bains, Dean, COBS&H, PAU; Dr Nirmal Jaura, DSW, PAU. Their scholarly engagement and insights significantly enriched the academic discourse of the conference.

The conference was organised by Dr Surjit Patar Chair, in collaboration with the Punjabi Linguistics Association, Patiala and the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysuru.

The valedictory function served as a fitting end to the event, emphasising the importance of linguistic, cultural and folkloric studies in shaping a more inclusive, rooted and resilient India under the guiding principles of NEP 2020.