DH NEWS SERVICE
jammu, Jan 15:
The Department of Hindi and Other Indian Languages at the Central University of Jammu, in collaboration with Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal and Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti under the Ministry of Education, Government of India, organized an International Conference on Indian Language Confluence.
The event was held under the chairmanship of Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor Prof. Sanjeev Jain. The distinguished guests included Deputy Commissioner of Samba, Sh. Rajesh Sharma, eminent scholar from Japan, Padma Shri Prof. Tomio Mizokami, Registrar Central University of Jammu, Prof. Yashwant Singh, and Prof. Dilip Kumar from IIMC, Jammu.
The Head of the Department of Hindi and Other Indian Languages, Prof. Bharat Bhushan, introduced and welcomed all the dignitaries. Vice-Chancellor Prof. Sanjeev Jain honored the guests with mementos and ceremonial coconuts as tokens of respect.
In his keynote address on the topic “Indianness in Indian Languages,” Padma Shri Prof. Tomio Mizokami remarked that India is fortunate to possess a multitude of languages, which form its unique identity. He emphasized that Indian languages have always supported world peace and highlighted the linguistic family convergence within India. He presented a comparative analysis of the similarities and mutual intelligibility among Indian languages like Sanskrit, Hindi, Bengali, Marathi, and Tamil, including their grammatical parallels.
Prof. Sanjeev Jain, as the patron of the conference, observed that the English-based education system has diminished interest in education through Indian languages. He emphasized that this could hinder India’s development.
The New Education Policy (NEP), he noted, promotes education in Indian languages to address this gap. He commended Prof. Mizokami’s dedication to mastering multiple Indian languages and encouraged students to draw inspiration to prioritize education in Indian languages. Prof. Jain also appreciated the recent governmental efforts to revive Prakrit, ensuring the preservation of India’s ancient heritage.
Deputy Commissioner Samba, Sh. Rajesh Sharma, underlined that the development of Indian languages is key to India’s holistic development. He noted that the preservation of Indian languages is crucial for safeguarding Indian culture. At the end of the inaugural session, Prof. Yashwant Singh extended a vote of thanks. Dr. Ketan Bhatt recited the invocation Dhya Mantra and Kalyan Mantra, while research scholar Vishnu presented a Dhya Vyakya. Dr. Vandana Sharma, a faculty member, conducted the program.
In subsequent sessions, speakers like Prof. Gurpal Singh Sandhu from Punjab University, Chandigarh; Prof. Vinod Taneja, retired professor from Guru Nanak Dev University, Amritsar; Prof. Neelam Saraf, retired professor from Jammu University; and Shri Sanjay Pandit, an expert on Sharda script, inspired the audience with their profound insights.
The concluding session was graced by Prof. Dilip Kumar from IIMC, Jammu, who elaborated on the contributions of Indian languages and literature to Indian knowledge traditions. Competitions and a language exhibition were held during the event, and winners were felicitated. The program concluded with the national anthem, marking the end of a successful and enriching conference.
