Students encouraged to take pride in their mother tongue; Dogri books and comics distributed
JAMMU, Nov 1: A team of office-bearers and members of Dogri Sanstha Jammu, led by its President, Padma Shri Prof. Lalit Magotra, visited Government Higher Secondary School, Laiter (Reasi), and Government Middle School, Kharoti (Zone Pouni), to organise special programmes aimed at promoting the Dogri language among young students.
The programmes were organised with the objective of creating awareness about the importance of one’s mother tongue and motivating students to study, speak and converse in Dogri in their everyday lives. During the programmes, Dogri books for children and Dogri comics were distributed among the students to encourage them to develop an interest in reading and understanding their mother tongue.
The visiting team included Ashok Khajuria, Pawan Verma and Roshan Baral and Sushil Begana.
The programmes were conducted by Dharam Pal Bhambliya, Principal, Government Middle School, Kharoti, and Mohinder Pal Sharma of Laiter School, who facilitated the interaction with the students and encouraged their participation.
The students participated in the programmes with great enthusiasm and were particularly excited to receive Dogri comics based on the inspiring life of Bawa Jitto, the legendary folk hero of the Duggar region.
Well-known Dogri poet Sushil Begana recited his Dogri poems, which were immensely appreciated by the students and school staff. Mohinder Pal Sharma also presented his Dogri poetry, adding a literary flavour to the programmes.
Addressing the students, Prof. Lalit Magotra highlighted the importance and necessity of preserving one’s mother tongue, emphasising that Dogri is an integral part of the identity, cultural heritage and collective consciousness of the people of the Jammu region.
He motivated the students by citing examples of great personalities such as Swami Vivekananda, Kabir and Rani Lakshmibai, highlighting how individuals rooted in their cultural values and traditions have made remarkable contributions to society. He stressed that learning and speaking one’s mother tongue should be a matter of pride and that the younger generation has an important role to play in preserving and promoting Dogri.
The initiative reflects Dogri Sanstha Jammu’s continued commitment to taking Dogri beyond literary platforms and connecting the younger generation with their linguistic and cultural roots through meaningful interactions and educational activities.