New Delhi: Sahitya Akademi, an autonomous organization under Ministry of Culture, is organising many programmes to promote literature in local dialects of the country. Details of the programmes organized by the Sahitya Akademi during the past few years for the promotion of local dialects is as under:-
- Adi Language Convention on 6-7 April, 2013 at Pasighat, East Siang, Arunachal Pradesh.
- Warli Language Convention on 29-30 June, 2013 at Thane, Maharashtra.
- Kumauni Language Convention on 27-28 September, 2014 at Almora, Uttarakhand.
- Halbi Language Convention on 30-31 October, 2015 at Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh.
- Literary Forum on Contribution of Oral Literature of Tribes to the Development of the Contemporary Literature of the Hmar, Paite, Tangkhul and Thadou Kuki languages on 11 May, 2016 at Canchipur, Manipur.
- Seminar on The Silence of Dying Voices: Literatures on the Verge of Extinction in India’s North East and the World on 4-5 July, 2016 at Agartala, Tripura.
- Literary programme on types and varieties of Traditional songs of four Tribes: Lamkang, Tarao, Moyon and Monsang on 14 July, 2016 at Imphal, Manipur.
- Literary programme on types and varieties of Traditional songs of four Tribes: Inpui Naga, Koireng, Aimol and Kom on 15 July, 2016 at Imphal, Manipur.
- Literary programme on types and varieties of Traditional songs of four Tribes: Koirao/Thangal, Chothe and Kharam on 16 July, 2016 at Imphal, Manipur.
- Seminar on Route to Oral Literature on 19-20 September, 2016 at Gangtok, Sikkim.
- Literary Forum programme on Pena and Manipuri Literature on 12 November, 2016 at Agartala, Tripura.
- Tribal Writers’ Meet, a convention of writers from 10 tribal languages of Odisha on 26-27 November, 2016 at Bhubaneswar.
- Paite Language Convention on 22-23 January, 2017 at Imphal.
- Workshop on Translating the Oral Resources of Some Oral Communities in North-East India on 24 & 25 February, 2017 at Shillong, Meghalaya.
- Seminar on the Recent Trends in Tribal Literature of the North East on 28 February – 1 March 2017 at Tura, Meghalaya.
Besides the above programmes, the Akademi has also documented the oral and tribal literature of the country by publishing the translations of these literatures in the recognized languages of the Akademi.
The Akademi has also instituted Bhasha Samman in 1996 to be given to writers, scholars, editors, collectors, performers or translators who have made considerable contribution to the propagation, modernization or enrichment of the languages concerned. So far the Akademi has awarded its Bhasha Samman in various unrecognized languages like Kokborok, Kumauni, Pahari, Bhojpuri, Tulu, Bhili, Ladakhi, Gojri, Magahi, Chhattisgarhi, Gondi, Himachli, Avadhi, Kachchi, Khasi, Mizo, Garo, Lepcha, Warli, Banjara, Ho, Karbi, Angami (Tenyidie), Ao, Chakma, Mising, Adi etc.
The Akademi also regularly organized seminars/symposiums in the Unwritten Languages of India and recently a book of seminar papers, presented during one of the above seminar was brought out by the Akademi. The Akademi did research and documented the oral and tribal literature available in Toda language and would bring out the same in a book form very soon.
Besides the above activities, the Akademi regularly invites the writers/ scholars from the un-recognized languages in different literary programmes, organized in different parts of the country to nurture and cherish the deep socio-cultural bonds between different Indian languages and people.
This information was given by Dr. Mahesh Sharma, Minister of State for Culture and Tourism (Independent Charge) in a written reply in Lok Sabha today.
