INDIAN CONSULATE HOSTS A MULTI-LINGUAL POETRY RECITAL TO CELEBRATE INTERNATIONAL MOTHER LANGUAGE DAY

The Consulate General of India, Toronto hosted a multi-lingual poetry recital (Bahu Bhashiya Kavi Goshthi) to mark the International Mother Language Day on 21 February 2015.  The programme hosted in the premises of the Consulate was attended by about 100 literary personalities who travelled from all over  the Greater Toronto Area despite extremely harsh winter and severe snowfall.

The multi-lingual poetry recital was a unique initiative to provide a larger and broader platform for presentation of poetry in all major Indian languages represented in Ontario including Hindi, Punjabi, Urdu, Gujarati, Bengali, Tamil, Telgu, Oria, Kannada, Bhojpuri and Sanskrit.

In his welcome remarks, Consul General Akhilesh Mishra highlighted the importance of the multilingual literary forum not for mere presentation of poetry in different languages, like screening of various films in a multiplex theatre, but for catalyzing a process of intellectual dialogue and conversation among all Indian linguistic groups.  He stressed on the need for various ethnic literary organization to shed their parochial and compartmentalized approach and engage in inter-lingual conversation and exchange for creating fresh ideas, vitality and energy in all linguistic communities.  He also underscored the significance of presenting a holistic understanding of India’s extremely rich and diverse literary heritage to the next generation of Canada-born youths.  In this context he exhorted the community to develop an online portal to provide an easy mechanism for sharing of educational material, literary creations and new ideas in various Indian languages, with translation in Hindi and/or English.

Expressing great optimism about the future of vernacular literature in India, Consul General Mishra referred to the transformational initiation of Prime Minister Modi regarding inclusive economic development through policy of Sabka Saath – Sabka Vikas, financial inclusion and direct transfer of benefits to the poorest and Digital India mission to provide broadband WiFi connectivity to 250,000 villages in the next 3 years.  This could empower about 600 million rural Indian population to create and share their poetry and literary creativity with the global audience.

In view of the overwhelming appreciation of the initiative to bring together all Indian languages for the first time, the Consulate proposes to organize such programme periodically.