Bandipora: Government Degree College Hajin on Saturday organised a daylong seminar on the topic Mother tongue as a Backbone of Culture.
While delivering her keynote address Huda Galzai, Principal of the college stressed on preservation of the mother tongue and said that speaking in mother tongue at home is the only way out that can help us in transferring this language to the next generation so as to preserve it. She said the government initiative of making Kashmiri language compulsory at primary level was a revolutionary step in this regard that helped the younger generation to learn to write and read their mother tongue-Kashmiri.
While stressing on the importance of mother tongue, she said Culture gives them a unique identity but the fundamental component of the culture is mother tongue. “A culture ceases to exist if the language (Mother Tongue) is lost,” she said adding that language gives them a sense of belonging and hence needs to enrich it by speaking it.
She emphasized that in the face of the aggression of foreign language at the time when the world has become a Global village, mother languages are on the verge of extinction. She said the concerned societies must remain vigilant and refrain from unnecessary interpolation and Code -Switching which have the potential to kill the essence and beauty of Mother Language.
The guest speaker Dr. Aadil Mohi-ud-din Assistant professor Kashmiri (GDC Sumbal), and a noted writer of Kashmiri language delivered an extension lecture on the importance of Mother Tongue wherein he explained how a language is important in the survival of a society. He also gave an insight about the rich cultural and lingual traditions of Kashmir.
While presenting an overview of the rich cultural heritage Kashmiris have inherited, He stressed on the audience not to feel inferiority complex about their culture and language.
He said the world was unaware about the importance of forests and ecological balance till last few decades but great Kashmiri Scholar and Saint-Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Noornai (RA) has narrated the importance of forests and environment many centuries ago while the west started treating women equally only from recent past but the Kashmir culture had presented not only empowered women but there were some famous female rulers including Kota Rani, Sughandadevi, Rani Yashomatti,Rani Dida besides having great scholars, philosophers, Poets and Rulers .
He said Kashmiris have produced such great philosophers and scholars and stressed on the students to read about the rich heritage they have inherited so that they don’t feel shy and don’t have any inferiority complex with regard to their culture. He said there is a need to present the vision of these great scholars before the World as their messages are not specific to pour culture but have a universal message.
The students also shared their views on the topic, followed by a question, answer session. Among the student speakers Suriya Mushtaq , Hina Majeed and Umar Akbar bagged 1st , 2nd and 3rd positions respectively.
Tehsildar Hajin, representatives of civil society and Chairman Tehsil Coordination Committee Hajin also attended the programme. The programme was concluded by vote of thanks presented by Nahida Naseem (Assistant Professor) Department of Education of the college. Dr. Falak Fayrooz presented a welcome address and also anchored the session.

KR Desk