Nagaland University Celebrates Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav

Nagaland : Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav, a vibrant celebration of India’s linguistic and cultural diversity, was hosted on 11^th December 2024, in Nagaland University, Kohima Campus. The event, aligned with the vision of promoting and preserving India’s rich heritage of languages, was organized under the guidance of the Ministry of Education. The festival brought together students, faculty, and staff to honor India’s linguistic legacy. The celebration highlighted the importance of regional languages in fostering national unity and cultural identity.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. G.T. Thong, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Nagaland University, Kohima Campus, stated that institutes across India are celebrating Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav, a festival dedicated to honouring the linguistic diversity of Indian languages and culture. He added that in alignment with the National Education Policy 2020, the festival features a variety of activities, including storytelling, skits, and plays that bring India’s linguistic richness to life. These initiatives aim to preserve and promote India’s vibrant linguistic and cultural heritage. This festival reminds us of the immense cultural wealth our country possesses. Each language is a reflection of our shared heritage, and it is our duty to preserve and promote this diversity for future generations, he said.

Prof. Jano, Dean, School of Humanities and Education, emphasized on the role of Indian languages in strengthening social harmony and the importance of multilingual education. She stressed that celebrating this occasion not only promotes perfection in one’s mother tongue but also fosters multilingualism by embracing India’s diverse linguistic landscape. She further added that such celebration enhances the spirit of unity and diversity, allowing languages to coexist creatively and be nurtured in an enjoyable way.

Nagaland University, with its diverse campus community representing languages from Indo-Aryan, Dravidian, Tibeto-Burman, Austro-Asiatic, and isolated language families like Japanese, provided a unique backdrop for this celebration.

Concluding remarks for the first session was given by Prof. Pangersenla Walling, who asserted that Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav is more than just a celebration and is a movement to honor linguistic plurality, empower native languages, and bridge cultural gaps. The chairperson, Dr. Anuj Kumar, Asst. Prof., Dept of Hindi, pointed out the importance of multilingualism and diversity of our culture. He added that such event sensitizes and make students aware of the linguistic diversity and propagate unity and harmony among other languages.

The second session was hosted by Asebu Kekhriesenuo Kesiezie. The day-long festivities featured a variety of engaging activities, including Manipuri and Rajastani dance, Chokri, Tenyidie folk songs, Ao, Lotha, Telugu, Japanese poetry recitations, Dogri, Bangla, Odiya, songs among others representing different linguistic communities of the country. The program culminated with showcasing the traditional attires and sharing its significance by different linguistics community.

The Utsav concluded with a vibrant cultural parade featuring students, faculties and staffs dressed in traditional attire representing the regions of India, symbolizing unity in diversity. The celebration also showcased cuisines from all the regions of the country. Thanks to the effort put in by the participants, faculty members, and organizers, the Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav was a grand success, serving as a testament to the university’s commitment to fostering inclusivity and cultural pride.