JAMMU: BJP Senior Leader and Patron-in-Chief Samadhaan Foundation, Pawan Sharma emphasized the need for equal respect for all languages today, stressing that no language should be imposed or opposed. Pawan Sharma expressed these views at the thought-provoking program "Contemplation on Indian Languages and Their Future Prospective Direction" hosted by 'Shri Abhinav Gupt Study Center' at DSRS department Jammu University.
Pawan Sharma, BJP senior leader and Patron-in-Chief of the Samadhaan Foundation, presided over the event, which featured Naresh Raina, a renowned writer, translator, researcher, and thinker, as the keynote speaker, and drew enthusiastic participation from students and scholars of Sanskrit, Dogri, Hindi, Punjabi, and other departments.
During the discussion, Amresh Chouhan, a Hindi postgraduate student, pointed out that despite being the national language, Hindi has been neglected for a long time. Although Hindi is a subject in primary school up to the matric level, the government has not created sufficient posts during the current recruitment drive. Komal Parihar, a senior Sanskrit scholar, noted that despite being the scientific language of the world, Sanskrit has not been introduced at the primary level, and desired posts have not been created to date.
This language has been studied globally, even by renowned scientists. Sudershan Dogra, a postgraduate student of Dogri, also expressed similar sentiments, addressing the gathering and stating that Dogri, the language of the nationalist Dogras, has been neglected during the recent advertisement of the Jammu and Kashmir government. Amandeep Kaur, a Punjabi scholar, observed that Punjabi, an Indian language, is being studied by various scholars, but their future remains uncertain due to the lack of duly advertised posts.
In his address Pawan Sharma highlighted the critical importance of promoting and preserving Indian and regional languages to safeguard India's rich cultural heritage. Sharma underscored the urgent need for the government to create new academic and administrative posts for these languages, ensuring their survival and growth. Sharma emphasized that education in mother tongue, as advocated by the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, plays a pivotal role in nurturing the linguistic heritage and connecting future generations with Indiaâs glorious past.
Pawan Sharma also called on the government to eliminate discrimination against Indian and regional languages and prioritize their integration into mainstream education and policy frameworks. They stressed that such measures are essential for empowering linguistic diversity and fostering a sense of pride and identity among the youth.
Advocate Naresh Kumar Raina, a writer, translator, researcher, and thinker, while addressing the scholars, as a keynote speaker, told that Article 343 of the Indian Constitution including eighth schedule and NEP, 2020, gives people right to study in Indian languages from primary school to further higher studies but even then the government is not creating posts in these languages at par with other Indian languages described in the Constitution. Government needs further work out on the decision of recruitment of posts of lecturers in School Education Department. This type of contemplation must be carried on to flourish Sanskrit, Hindi, Dogri and Punjabi languages among general masses. This is the first contemplation ever organised in the University of Jammu.
The program culminated in a collective pledge to preserve and promote Indian languages, ensuring their continued relevance in modern times while maintaining their cultural integrity. Ramnik Sharma, a PhD scholar in the Sanskrit department at Jammu University, moderated the entire programme.
