Khliehriat, August 29: The Seminar on Khasi language was held at Jaintia Eastern College, Khliehriat on Saturday 25th August, 2018 as part of the public campaign to mobilise support for the official recognition of Khasi language to the Eight Scheduled to the Constitution of India.
The Seminar was graced by B Kharshandi, ADM, Violet Lyngdoh, MDC and a host of Khasi scholars including the President of Khasi Authors’ Society , Dr D R L Nonglait, college teachers and students. In his inaugural address, Kharchandi lamented on the actual situation in the State, where social affairs is being anglicise.
He said ‘The Khasi people prefers to speak English all the time even among fellow Khasis, particularly in Shillong city. Khasi language is degenerated by Khasi themselves, and this must change and everybody should love and like to converse in their mother tongue with pride’.
The Guest of Honour Violet Lyngdoh emphasised that mother tongue is essential in every aspect of social interaction and spoke in Pnar language while narrating her experience, ‘While I was at Bangalore, I met someone from the Lyngdoh clan and found out that she is from Australia, even as she spoke fluent Khasi and desire to study Khasi language in the institution’. The introductory speech was delivered by Dr D R L Nonglait, President, Khasi Authors’ Society.
In the formal sessions of the seminar, Dr Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih narrated a historical linguistic accounts on Austro-Asitic group of languages, with emphasis on the Monkhmer language, where Khasi language is one of its variety.
He presented the DNA findings of the Indian Statistical Institute and the Centre for Cellular Molecular Biology that the Khasi people have inhabited the region since 56000 years ago. The other paper presentation were deliberated by Dr. A Wankhar of St Anthony’s College and Dr Soloni Bareh of Nongtalang Government College.
The sessions concluded with public interaction on various aspects of Khasi language in the effort to obtain recognition in the Eight Scheduled to the constitution of India.
