Port Blair, Feb 22: The Aditya Natya Academy (ANA) observed the 19th International Mother Tongue Day on 21st February 2018 in its premises at Middle Point, Port Blair through a befitting cultural function – which was graced by Shri Anindo Majumdar, Chief Secretary, Andaman & Nicobar Administration as the Chief Guest.  Shri Parthivan, Faculty (Psychology) and Shri R. P. Gupta, Faculty (Mathematics), DIET were present in the function as Special Guests.

Speaking on the occasion, the Chief Guest applauded the efforts of ANA for organizing such a meaningful programme, particularly in remembrance of those language martyrs who shed their blood in Dhaka (the capital city of erstwhile East Pakistan) on 21st February 1952 to uphold esteem of their Mother Tongue Bengali.  He later informed the gathering as how the “Language Martyrs’ Day of 21st February 1952” became the ‘International Mother Tongue Day’. He said, global people use to speak in approximately 7,000 languages at present, and one language dies out every 14 (fourteen) days.  Therefore, the Chief Secretary urged, we must not forget to respect and make the maximum usage of our respective mother tongue(s) in our daily lives.

Special Guests Shri Parthivan and Shri R. P. Gupta also spoke on the occasion.  They too expressed their views that it is our moral duty to use, practice, propagate and uphold in high esteem our respective mother tongue(s) for our own existence.

Earlier, the Chief Guest and all the distinguished guests paid floral tributes on the symbolic monuments placed in front of the portraits of the language martyrs.  A feature entitled ‘Amar Ekush’ compiled by Shri Raisuddin Gayen was presented with the recital of poems by Shri Nandalal Debsharma and Smt. Kaberi Debsharma, accompanied with songs presented by Shri Raisuddin Gayen, Sharmila Bala, Anoshmita Paul, Puja Biswas and Nibedita Mistry.

On this occasion, the Chief Guest felicitated Shri Anadiranjan Biswas, ANA’s Life Member and eminent Bengali Writer of these Islands as well as the new General Council Member of Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi with the first ‘Ekushe Samman’ introduced by Aditya Natya Academy.  Two other life members of ANA as well as Hon’ble LG’s Commendation Certificate Awardees, namely Shri Raisuddin Gayen and Shri D. Shubham Rao, were also felicitated by the Chief Guest.

At the beginning, Shri Anadi Ranjan Bhattacharjee, General Secretary, ANA welcomed the gathering while vote of thanks was proposed by Shri Sushen Paul, Vice President, ANA.