'Samanvay', the Indian Language Festival, returned to the capital, a year after its spectacular debut which saw coming together of writers from almost every Indian language on a single platform, emphasising the importance that local writings deserve in an increasingly competitive market.
While there are several festivals in every length and breadth of the country that showcases and celebrates English writings, there is hardly any event that sings paeans to works that are home-grown and equally exhilarating like any other literary work in the world.
This language festival, hosted by the India Habitat Centre, is a unique one as it tries to give space to writings in Indian languages that struggle for space and visibility.
Doyens like Kannada poet Chandrasekhar B Kambar, legendary Oriya author Sithakant Mahapatra and Manipuri writer Ratan Thiyam were in attendance at the inaugural event today, spoke in one voice -- Indian language writings need to be recognised and given importance.
Mahapatra, who headed the Sitakant Mahapatra Committee which recommended inclusion of Indian languages in the 8th schedule of the Constitution, was awarded the Samanvay Bhasha Samman Award for his contribution towards Indian languages.
"A lot more needs to be done to promote Indian languages. It is something that connects every village and city of the country, we cant hang on to our colonial background," he told the gathering. (More)
