Digboi: The 35th Language Recognition Day was observed at the auditorium of Sri Sri Nepali Bishnu Mandir in Assam’s Digboi on Thursday, with the unveiling of the “Madhyamik Nepali Shabdakosh” (Secondary Nepali Dictionary) as a major part of the programme.
The event was jointly organised by the Assam Nepali Sahitya Sabha and the Sri Sri Nepali Bishnu Mandir Samity. It was attended by litterateurs, educationists, community leaders and representatives of Nepali and Gorkha organisations.
The dictionary was published by the Assam Nepali Sahitya Sabha and edited by litterateur and Sahitya Akademi Award recipient Yuddhabir Rana. It was earlier launched at the national level in Sikkim on July 13 by Sikkim Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang during the 212th Bhanu Jayanti celebrations.
In Digboi, the dictionary was unveiled by Tikaram Chhetri, an Assam State and National Teacher Award recipient and founder-headmaster of Hahakati Higher Secondary School. Yuddhabir Rana attended the programme as a special guest.
The programme also featured the release of “Sangharshka Goretabaru (Smritikatha)”, a memoir written by Ratna Bahadur Chhetri, vice-president of the Sri Sri Nepali Bishnu Mandir Samity.
Assam Nepali Sahitya Sabha central vice-president Lokanath Newar attended the event as the chief guest. Others present included district president Jun Pradhan, district secretary Thaneshwar Sharma, programme anchor Hiralal Sharma, Indian Gorkha Parisangh district president Madan Gurung and Sri Sri Nepali Bishnu Mandir Samity president and veteran sportsperson Narayan Jaishy.
The event also focused on the constitutional recognition of Nepali. In Sikkim, Chief Minister Prem Singh Tamang described the inclusion of Nepali in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution as important for the language, culture and identity of the Nepali-speaking community.
He also called for greater efforts to preserve and promote the language among younger generations.
Tamang also paid tribute to writers, linguists, scholars, activists and others whose efforts contributed to the constitutional recognition of Nepali.
Narayan Jaishy said the Sri Sri Nepali Bishnu Mandir Samity was pleased to be associated with the launch of the dictionary at its premises.
The programme also included songs and traditional dance performances.