International Mother Language Day - 21/02/2011

Rally to mark International Mother Language Day today

Loknayak Foundation Andhra Pradesh, observed International Mother Language Day on Monday as per the call given by the UNESCO.

A rally with schoolchildren and others marched out from NTR statue to the statue of litterateur Puripanda Appalaswamy on the beach road at 9 a.m.Visakhapatnam. Former MP and foundation chairman Yarlagadda Lakshmi Prasad told reporters on Sunday that the day was being observed to promote recognition and practice of the world's mother languages. Rich cultural diversity could be achieved by promoting languages.

The day is observed to commemorate the sacrifice of students killed in Bangladesh during agitation in 1952 to demand recognition of Bangla as an official language. The UN General Assembly celebrated International Year of Languages in 2008.

Mr. Lakshmi Prasad, Chairman of AP Hindi Academy and Jana Sikshana Samstha, said UNESCO in its report submitted in 2008 had said that Telugu was among 196 languages under threat of extinction. Of 6,500 languages spoken in the world, 2,500 were under the threat of extinction.

It was unfortunate that Telugu, which had large following and population in the country, had been listed as one among many languages under threat due to Western culture and parents' interest to teach English to their children.

Stating that the mindset of parents must change, he said several people were under the impression that their wards would do well in competitive exams if they speak and write only English ignoring their mother tongue.