Leh, May 13: The 46th Three-Day All India Official Language Training Camp and Conference commenced in Leh on Tuesday with a focus on strengthening the implementation of the Official Language Policy of the Government of India and promoting India’s linguistic and cultural heritage.
The conference, organised by the Bhartiya Bhasha Evam Sanskriti Kendra, is being held from May 13 to 15 at Hotel Singge Palace and Hotel Northern Singge in Leh.
Former Member of Parliament and former Chairman-cum-Chief Executive Councillor of the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council, Leh, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal attended the inaugural session as the chief guest.
Addressing the gathering, Jamyang Tsering Namgyal described India’s linguistic and cultural diversity as the country’s greatest strength and said the nation’s languages and dialects reflect its rich civilizational heritage. He underlined the importance of preserving regional and indigenous languages, especially in the Himalayan region.
Emphasising the significance of the Bhoti language in safeguarding the spiritual and cultural traditions of Ladakh and the Himalayan belt, he reiterated the demand for inclusion of Bhoti in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. He also welcomed Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decision to recognise Bhoti as an official language of the Union Territory of Ladakh, terming it a historic step towards preserving the region’s cultural identity.
Namgyal also stressed the need to preserve and promote Balti, Purgi, Dardi-Aryan, Dardi-Shina and other Ladakhi languages, stating that languages are not merely a medium of communication but the soul of culture and civilization. He said such conferences help strengthen national unity, integrity and cultural harmony.
The event was attended by Dr. Sunil Luthra, Director of the All India Council for Technical Education, as special guest, while former Ministry of Home Affairs Director Rakesh Kumar participated as guest of honour.
Secretary of the organisation Mahipal Singh highlighted the objectives and framework of the conference, while the proceedings were conducted by former Deputy Director (Official Language) Devi Prasad Mishra.
During the inaugural session, seven senior Government of India officers were honoured with commendation certificates for their contributions towards the promotion and implementation of Official Language Hindi. Several ministries, public sector undertakings and government departments were also recognised for excellence in official language implementation.
The conference will continue over the next two days with technical sessions on subjects including Official Language Policy, Parliamentary Official Language Committee questionnaires, functional Hindi, noting and drafting in Hindi, and technical translation. Officials, language experts and participants from across the country are expected to take part in the deliberations.
