Manipuri Language Day : 'Promoting Manipuri rests on native speakers'
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, August 20 2025: Protecting and promoting Manipuri language is up to the native speakers.

Government alone cannot promote Manipuri language and it is not something which can be entrusted to outsiders.

This was stated by former Union Minister of State for Education and External Affairs RK Ranjan at a State-level observation of the 34th Manipuri Language Day in Palace Auditorium, MSFDS this afternoon.

"None of us including myself do not send our children to Manipuri-medium schools", he said.

Dr Ranjan said that he came across a language atlas published by the UNESCO when he was working at Manipur University which listed Manipuri as an endangered language.

Further research revealed that it was based on a report that very few students were studying in Manipuri medium, he said.

According to NEP 2022, children up to Class VI must compulsorily study in their mother language, Dr Ranjan said.

Manipuri Language Day : 'Promoting Manipuri rests on native speakers'

He said, "All of us must speak and promote Manipuri with pride, both within and beyond our borders".

He also underscored the need for strengthening the campaign for classical language status (of Manipuri), as a rightful recognition of its antiquity and literary wealth.

The observation was jointly organised by the Manipuri Language Day State Level Celebration Committee, Department of Art and Culture and Directorate of Language Planning and Implementation.

Notably, Manipuri Language Day State Level Celebration Committee comprises 17 organisations working in the fields of literature, Shumang Leela, cinema, music and other art forms.

Former Art & Culture Minister Dr M Nara said that inclusion of Manipuri language in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution is not enough.

He called upon the gathering to take a firm decision on framing a language policy.

It was two CPI MPs from Tripura namely; Biren Dutta and Dasharath Dev Burman who first raised the issue of Manipuri language in the Parliament in 1953, Dr Nara said.

"Leaving political differences, I joined the Manipuri language movement as an MLA and I was even imprisoned", he said.

The Manipuri language movement received a huge support from outside the State.

As many as 211 MPs gave their signatures and endorsed the demand for inclusion of Manipuri language in the Constitution's 8th Schedule, Dr Nara said.

Manipuri Language Celebration Committee chairman and former Minister of State for Home Affairs Prof Meijinlung Kamson remarked that Manipuri is a beautiful and soft language which can be compared to any language of the world.

Manipuri is also the lingua franca of the 34 communities settled in Manipur.

"But the problem is our failure to expand and promote Manipuri language", Prof Meijinlung Kamson said.

As no other language can substitute Manipuri language as the State's lingua franca, it is imperative to see that all the communities of the State speak Manipuri without creating any sense of imposition, he said.

"When we spoke broken English, English people did not laugh at us.

Instead they politely asked us to repeat the sentence.

Likewise, we should not laugh at any one when they speak broken Manipuri", Prof Meijinlung Kamson said.

Former MP Dr Th Meinya too spoke at the event.

Prof (retired) Ch Yashwanta of Linguistics Department MU and Prof W Nabakumar of Anthropology Department, MU presented papers on Manipuri language.

On the other hand, commemorating the 34th Manipuri Language Day was observed today under the aegis of Department of Manipuri, DM College of Arts and PG Department of Manipuri, DM University.

Department of Manipuri, DM College of Arts, DMU, Head Prof Y Kunjabihari presided over the function held in the auditorium of DM College of Arts.

DMU School of Humanities Dean and DM College of Arts Principal Prof S Lanchenba Meetei and Head of PG Manipuri Department, DMU Prof H Sumatibala attended the function as chief guest and guest of honour respectively.

MU School of Humanities former Dean Prof P Nabachandra and GP Women's College, Department of Manipuri Head Dr W Romesh also attended the function as invited speakers.

Speaking at the function, DMU Manipuri Department Assistant Professor Dr Elangbam Priyobrata said that inclusion of a language in the Constitution's 8th Schedule implies the language is complete in all aspects and all Manipuri speaking people must be proud of this feet.

Saying that funds and financial assistances can be sought from the Government of India for development and promotion of a language enlisted in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution, Dr Priyobrata recalled the struggle made by the people of Manipur, particularly Manipuri Sahitya Parishad in order to get Manipuri language enlisted in the 8th Schedule.

In the aftermath of the inclusion of Manipuri language in the 8th Schedule, six Meitei Mayek officers were appointed at the Manipur Legislative Assembly in 2021 and they were entrusted the task of writing the Assembly resolutions and proceedings in Meitei Mayek, he said.

It was in 2017 that learning and teaching of Meitei Mayek reached college level.

Now MA course and research works are done in Meitei Mayek, Dr Priyobrata said.

He said that the process of converting textbooks into Meitei Mayek is in the initial stage.

With the introduction of the NEP, there is a possibility of learning all subjects in the mother language.

As such, all the teachers need to know and master Manipuri language, he added.