RONO HILLS, 21 Feb: International Mother Language Day was celebrated on Sunday at Rajiv Gandhi University (RGU), along with the rest of the world.
Coordinator Dr KC Mishra pointed out that it was in 1999 that the UNESCO declared 21 February as the International Mother Tongue Day. Speaking about the historical context of the day, he said that the objective of celebrating the day at RGU was in keeping with the directive of the education ministry as well as in keeping with the spirit of the day.
Registrar Dr NT Rikam stressed on the urgency of promoting and documenting the tribal languages of Arunachal. He also said that attempt must be made to learn languages of different parts of the country too.
Dr Rikam also highlighted the role played by RGU in preservation and documentation of endangered languages.
In his address, RGU Pro-Vice Chancellor Prof Amitava Mitra stated that “mother tongue significantly promotes solidarity, understanding and dialogue in a multilingual society.”
Saying that “mother tongue is the basis for creativity in life,” Prof Mitra encouraged everyone to communicate in their mother tongue at home and with family.
He also spoke on the importance of introducing mother tongue at the primary level.
The inaugural function was attended by faculty members, staffers, scholars, and students of RGU.
RGU Vice Chancellor Prof Saket Kushwaha joined the function online.
The International Mother Tongue Day celebration will be a three-day affair with various programmes and competitions.
