Linguistics Department releases documentary film on language of Gajapati Sora tribes

Bhanja Bihar: “If you talk to a man in a language he understands that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language that goes to his heart.” These lines by famous anti-apartheid revolutionary, politician and former South African President Mr. Nelson Mandela clearly explain the impact of language on human. On the same note, “Vanishing Voices of South Odisha – Part-II – The Gajapati Soras”, a documentary film released by the P.G. Department of Linguistics during a national seminar here at the Old Conference Hall on October 20, 2017, reiterated the importance of language.

Guests releasing the CD of a documentary film during the
inaugural function of UGC sponsored national seminar by
the PG Department of Linguistics 

Chief guest Vice-Chancellor Prof. Rajendra Prasad Das inaugurated the UGC sponsored national seminar on “Linguistic Human Rights” by lighting lamp followed by Bhanja Bihar Kulasangeet. Later, Head of the Department (HoD) Dr. Smita Sinha, who is also the organising secretary of the seminar, presented a brief report on the seminar.

Addressing the gathering, Chief Speaker retired Professor Krishna Bhattacharya from Calcutta University highlighted the significance and scope of linguistic human rights, while Special Speaker Prof. Annapurna Devi Pandey from University of California, who is currently a Senior Fullbright US Scholar, presented a comparative analysis of American and Indian linguistic rights.

Subsequently, Honourable Guest Mr. Satya Narayan Sahoo, Joint Secretary to Rajya Sabha, also expressed his views on language rights. On the same line, Vice-Chancellor Prof. Das too spoke about several implications related to language rights.

Meanwhile, the CD of the documentary film, which was scripted and directed by Dr. Sinha, was released by the guests and later it was also screened. It may be noteworthy here that the department has taken up a major project from UGC to conduct research on linguistics of South Odisha.

In the inaugural function, Mr. K Shashidhar introduced the guests, while Dr. A.K. Panda proposed the vote of thanks.

The valedictory function of the seminar was graced by PG Council Chairman Prof. Devi Prasanna Patnaik as the chief guest. Mr. Opino Gamango proposed the vote of thanks.

Earlier in two technical sessions, at least 11 research papers were presented. Mr. Sarabjeet Banarjee (Unicef), Prof. Bhagirathi Panigrahi, Dr. Shruti Das, Mr. Anup Kujur, Mr. T Eshwara Rao, Mr. Ramesh Chandra Mallik and Mr. G.C. Penthoi were among the notable presenters.

Besides, another documentary film “The Road to Zuni”, which was produced by Prof. Annapurna Devi Pandey, was also screened before the beginning of technical sessions.

(A report by Alka Digal and Dhaneswar Jena, JMC, Semester-III, 2017)