HT Bureau
DIPHU, Nov 16: The 73rd anniversary of the Boro Sahitya Sabha (BSS) was celebrated with enthusiasm across the state, including Karbi Anglong and West Karbi Anglong districts.
Events commemorating this foundation day were organised in each branch or unit of the BSS, with participation from individuals and officials of various Bodo organisations. The celebration featured a range of activities, including traditional games, sports competitions, and contests aimed at engaging students and youth.
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In Howraghat, the Howraghat Town Bodo Society organised a vibrant celebration. The event took place at the Howraghat Sports Association playground, where the BSS flag was ceremoniously hoisted by president of Howraghat Town Bodo Society, KK Brahma. He was joined by Secretary Bhabananda Khakhlary and Joint Secretary Paresh Boro.
In his speech Brahma talk about the historical progression of the Boro language and its development. He also called upon the younger generation to engage with literature for the advancement of the community.
The Boro Sahitya Sabha was established on November 16, 1952, in Basugaon, now part of Chirang district, aiming to promote Bodo language and literature.
The founding president, Joy Bhadra Hagjer, along with representatives from Assam, West Bengal, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Tripura, and Nepal, laid the foundation for this literary organisation.
Following India’s independence, a group of Bodo intellectuals recognized the urgent necessity to preserve the Bodo language. Many early authors were educated in institutions where instruction was primarily in Assamese or Bengali, leading to a collective understanding that the Bodo language required similar levels of preservation and development. There was a realisation among the Bodo population that education was essential for their overall development and the advancement of their language.
Through sustained efforts by the Bodo Sahitya Sabha, the Bodo language was introduced as a medium of instruction at the primary level in 1963 and subsequently at the secondary level in 1968. The language and its literature have gained recognition as one of the Major Indian Languages (MIL) within several universities, including Gauhati, Dibrugarh, and North-Eastern Hill Universities.
In 2004, the Bodo language was designated as an associated official language of Assam. Its status has further been enhanced with the introduction of Post-Graduate Courses in Bodo language and literature at Gauhati University in 1996 and Bodoland University, Kokrajhar.
Furthermore, under the auspices of the Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India, the Bodo Sahitya Sabha is actively engaged in the development of over forty thousand scientific and technical terms in the Bodo language. It is also anticipated that the Sahitya Academy will grant “Bhasa Sonman” to the Bodo language and its literature as an initial step toward comprehensive recognition.
Furthermore, the Government of India has, in principle, acknowledged the importance of including the Bodo language and literature in the Eight Schedule of the Constitution of India.
