Reported by Roopak Goswami
Guwahati: In a significant move aligned with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, Gauhati University has introduced a six-month certificate course in Tai-Ahom language and medieval manuscriptology under the Centre for South East Asian Studies.
The initiative seeks to promote the historic Tai-Ahom language through academic engagement while strengthening efforts toward research, documentation, and preservation of the region’s rich linguistic and cultural heritage.
Speaking as the chief guest at the inaugural programme, eminent historian and former Gauhati University professor, Padma Shri Jogendra Nath Phukan, underscored the close link between the Tai-Ahom language and Assam’s historical identity.
He said that preserving and studying the language is not merely an academic exercise but a collective responsibility towards safeguarding a valuable civilisational legacy.
Inaugurating the course, Vice Chancellor Nani Gopal Mahanta said language remains the living identity of people. He remarked, “Language is the soul of a people; its rejuvenation marks the resurgence of cultural self-respect. Through the Indigenous Knowledge System (IKS), we must enrich our traditional knowledge through scientific research and creative thinking.”
Highlighting the importance of historical texts, Mahanta said manuscripts are not relics confined to the past but enduring reservoirs of knowledge capable of informing contemporary thought and future development.
The programme was attended by Registrar Utpal Sharma, Academic Registrar Rajib Handique, Dhruba Pratim Sharma, noted academician Dayananda Borgohain, Biju Moran, Nityananda Gogoi, along with faculty members, researchers, and students.