Tribal languages that haven’t crossed the forest are wonderful.
Must be protected and enriched through research: Litterateur Jonnavithula
Visakhapatnam, October 23: Litterateur and film lyricist Jonnavithula Ramalingeswara Rao stated that all Indian languages possess a unique culture, tradition, and inherent power, and abandoning languages is like giving up half of civilization. He particularly noted that tribal languages that have remained confined to the forests are invaluable and ancient, calling for their preservation and enrichment through research.
He attended as the chief guest at a seminar on the topic “Tribal Languages are Indian Languages,” jointly organized by Andhra University and the Shakti Foundation on Friday evening at the Andhra University Ambedkar Assembly Hall. Andhra University Vice-Chancellor Professor G.P. Rajasekhar, Ekalavya Foundation founder P. Venugopal Reddy, and University Science College Principal Professor M.V.R. Raju, among others, participated in the event.
Delivering the keynote address, Jonnavithula said that there is much to learn from tribal languages, which are embedded with a grand culture and civilization. For this purpose, he emphasized that research should be conducted on tribal dialects, vocabulary, and traditional medical knowledge. He remarked that their stories, songs, and proverbs are highly elevated, noting that the ‘Savara’ stories written by Gidugu Rammurthi are deeply inspiring.
He observed that at a time when governments are failing to provide proper encouragement even to the Telugu language, protecting tribal languages is a challenging task. Nevertheless, he called upon the public to stand firm for the survival of languages. He questioned how children could progress if they are not taught the Telugu alphabet, asserting that primary education must be imparted in local languages. He also called on people to reject governments that distance citizens from their own culture and languages.
Another guest, P. Venugopal Reddy, stated that according to the law enacted by the Central Government for tribals, education should be conducted in tribal languages. He pointed out that the Centre has clarified that education up to the 8th standard must be in the local language, and he urged state governments to implement this directive. He added that the government should take steps to ensure that tribal teachers handle primary education and suggested publishing textbooks in tribal languages. He mentioned that this would be possible only through the proper utilization of ST Sub-Plan funds in tribal areas and the strict implementation of the PESA Act.
Professor Rajasekhar stated that Andhra University has entered into an agreement with the Alluri district administration for the development of tribal languages, under which research will be conducted on tribal languages and health. He opined that linguists should research whether a dedicated script is necessary for every individual tribal language, suggesting that in the era of AI, a single common script for four or five languages might suffice. He affirmed that Andhra University remains committed to popularising tribal languages.
Earlier, Professor D. Sandhya Deepika delivered the welcome address, while Professor P.V. Lakshminarayana introduced the guests. On this occasion, tribal students performed cultural programmes
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