[ Bengia Ajum ]
ITANAGAR, 29 May: The United Nations World Day for Cultural Diversity for Dialogue and Development was marked at the British Parliament’s House of Lords on the 24th of this month, during which 18 languages of India were presented and highlighted.
The event was organised by the Sanskruti Centre for Cultural Excellence, in association with the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Modern Languages, supported by the Chartered Institute of Linguists.
Founder of Sanskruti Centre, Dr Ragasudha Vinjamuri, in addition to presenting her own poem in Telugu, spoke on the Tai Khamti language of Arunachal Pradesh. She highlighted how Tai Khamti language is on the verge of decline and how NGOs like Tai Khamti Heritage and Literature Society are working hard on language preservation. Also, on the occasion, an age-old rhyme, ‘Koh-aui-Koh’, translated into English by Chow Kalingna Mannoi, was included in the booklet Ramaneeyam – the Beauty of Expression brought out on the occasion.
Baroness Rt Hon Sue Garden rendered the opening words, outlining the significance of diverse languages and commended the organisers for bringing together meaningful linguistic content. Poems, mostly self-authored by different diaspora members in the UK, were presented and rare scripts such as Takri, Sharda, and Mithilakshar were highlighted during the event.
Talking to this daily from London, where she teaches at the University of Sunderland, Dr Ragasudha Vinjamuri shared that she highlighted different tribal cultures of Arunachal Pradesh for the last five years in various forums. “I had the opportunity to promote the culture and tradition of Nyishi and Miji tribes on key platforms such as Republic Day of India at Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, at the High Commission of India in London, at The Nehru Centre (ICCR London) and at the British Parliament. We showcased the tribal dances,” she said.
Born in Hyderabad, Dr Ragasudha Vinjamuri is a postgraduate in tourism and hospitality management. She learnt dance from Guru Dr Uma Rama Rao in Hyderabad initially at Tyagaraja College for Music and Dance, and continued learning under her aegis at Lasya Priya Institute for Higher Learning. She relocated to London in 2008. She has made substantial contributions to the art, culture and heritage scene in the UK.
In 2018, she visited Ziro in Lower Subansiri district to learn about the Apatani culture and tradition. “Very soon I am planning to showcase whatever I learnt about the Apatani tribe to the British audience,” said Dr Ragasudha Vinjamuri. Further, she shared that while researching on tribal cultures and freedom fighters of the Northeast region, she started to know about the rich culture and tradition of Arunachal Pradesh.
“Since then I have been trying to raise awareness about the rich traditions and dances of Arunachal. I intend to visit the state soon,” she added.
