GORMARA-SHANTIPUR, (Dhekiajuli) Jan 6 - Giving a clarion call to the people of the Bodo society to devote themselves for the development of language, literature, culture and heritage, noted litterateur, vice-president of the Bodo Sahitya Sabha, Biseswar Basumatary said that without language, literature and culture, no nation can prosper, as a nation which has no language, literature and culture is akin to a human being without the backbone.
Addressing a mammoth gathering at the open session of the 42nd annual conference of the Tezpur District Bodo Sahitya Sabha that came to end recently at Gormara-Shantipur Rangjali playground, a remote rural area along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border, under Dhekiajuli PS in Sonitpur district, he spoke of how the BSS has been involved in the struggle for the development of the Boro people since its inception. He said that now the language has attained a position of pride with the introduction of postgraduate courses in Bodo language and literature in the University of Gauhati in 1996 and in Bodoland University, Kokrajhar.
�Moreover, under the aegis of the Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology, HRD Ministry, the Government of India, the Bodo Sahitya Sabha is preparing more than 40,000 scientific and technical terms in the Bodo language. Further, the Sahitya Akademi has promised to accord �Bhasha Sanman� to Bodo language and literature as an initial token of full-fledged recognition. Furthermore, the Government of India, in principle, has recognized the necessity of inclusion of Bodo language and literature in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
�Moreover, the Bodo Sahitya Sabha has to its credit, a large number of books on prose, poetry, drama, short story, novel, biography, travelogue, children�s literature and criticism,� he said adding that till date amidst many challenges, the Bodos have been able to present a good show in various fields including language, culture, literature etc.
Expressing serious concern over the matter of horrible condition of a large number of Bodo people scattered in various places of the world, including in Nepal, he said that many Bodos have accepted Assamese culture, which has posed a serious threat to the very existence of the Bodo community.
The open session, held under the aegis of the president of the Tezpur district Bodo Sahitya Sabha, Liladhar Boro was attended by the BSS secretary, Prasanta Boro, adviser, ABSU, Khwngkhra Swargiary, general secretary, Sonitpur ABSU, Khaneswar Boro, social worker, Dhekiajuli area, Dr Birendra Kumar Nath among others.
Earlier, a delegate meeting was held, wherein the old committee was dissolved and after a threadbare debate on various issues, a new district committee was formed with noted social worker Paduram Boro as president and Madan Basumatary as general secretary.
