Workshop on standardisation of Gondi-Koya language gets underway at Bhadrachalam

A four-day workshop on the standardisation of the Gondi-Koya language dictionary commenced in Bhadrachalam, drawing 120 participants from eight states. Speakers stressed the need to preserve indigenous tribal languages and cultures.

Kothagudem: The four-day workshop on the standardisation of the Gondi-Koya language dictionary got underway at Bhadrachalam in the district on Friday.

As many as 120 participants are attending the workshop scheduled from October 2 to 5 representing Maharashtra, Jharkhand, Assam, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.

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Speaking on the occasion, Bhadrachalam ITDA Project Officer B Rahul noted that the languages and cultures of the primitive tribes were at risk of extinction due to a lack of proper recognition and respect.

The Koya-Gond community is the largest primitive tribal group in Central India. Recognising the languages and cultures of indigenous tribes is a historical necessity. Parents should teach their language to their children and preserve their culture. Bhadrachalam ITDA stands firmly in support of efforts to preserve the languages and cultures of indigenous tribes, he said.

Bhadrachalam MLA Dr. Tellam Venkatrao remarked that although regions might differ, the culture, traditions, customs and linguistic patterns of adivasi tribal communities remain the same; while the spoken words may vary by region, the underlying meaning remains identical.

The Gondi-Koya language and its associated culture and traditions are ancient. A workshop was held in Hyderabad on July 7, 2014, to seek official recognition for the language and a report was submitted to the Central government in 2017, he recalled.