The Being of Bhasha by G N Devy

Author:G N Devy
Language: eng
Format: azw3
ISBN: 9788125057758
Publisher: Orient Blackswan Private Ltd.
Published: 2018-06-11T16:00:00+00:00

In this volume, we have incorporated articles on all those languages that have, according to the census of 2001, more than 500 speakers. These languages include the constitutionally recognised languages of Assam, viz. Assamese, Bodo, Nepali, Manipuri, and Bangla. It needs to be mentioned here that the Assamese language has many dialects which are spoken throughout the state and which have immensely contributed to its diversity and importance. Therefore, it is felt that these dialects along with the dialects of the other languages of Assam need to be incorporated in a later volume. Languages and dialects are important resources of a nation. The preservation of these resources enriches the nation and gives it a unique identity in the global arena. Although we were able to take a good deal of satisfaction from completing the work, we were not completely satisfied since articles on many languages could not be included in the volume.

Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab and Haryana

Personal Note

I, Omkar Koul, was born at Bugam in the Kulgam district of Jammu and Kashmir. As far as my educational qualifications are concerned, I have an MA in Hindi, an MA in linguistics and a PhD. I studied at the Jammu and Kashmir University, K. M. Institute of Hindi Studies and Linguistics, Agra University, and at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, USA. After my return to India from the USA I worked as Principal, Northern Regional Language Centre (CIIL), Patiala (1971–1987), Professor, Faculty of Languages, LBS National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie (1987–1994), Professor-cum-Deputy Director, the Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore (1994–1999) and Director, CIIL, Mysore (1999–2000).

My main areas of academic interest are linguistics, language education, communication and comparative literature. My publications include more than 50 (authored, co-authored, edited and co-edited) books and about 150 papers published in India and abroad in professional journals as well as in edited volumes. I am a series editor of the publications related to Indian languages published by Dunwoody Press, USA (2001–), editor of South Asian Language Review (1990–) and editor of Vaakh, a literary quarterly journal published in Kashmiri, since 2009. I have been associated with various UNESCO programmes related to language policy in African countries, endangered languages, mother tongue education, plural societies and cyberspace.

My Association with the Bhasha Research Centre and the PLSI

I was aware of the existence and activities of the Bhasha Research and Publication Centre and its activism and involvement, primarily in the area of tribal education. I had heard Ganesh Devy mentioning it in a seminar held at the India International Centre in 1997 and had read reports about it, but I did not get a chance to visit the centre until 2010.

Bhasha Conclave

I was invited to attend the Bhasha Conclave organised by the BRPC in Vadodara in March 2010. There were more than 300 participants including educationists and activists representing about 300 Indian languages. An important event in the conclave’s programme was to take out a kilometre-long procession, displaying placards in 300 languages, to a public park where scholars and

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