Seeks recognition of Khah language
JAMMU: A delegation of the Khah language Writers Association, headed by senior member and retired Headmaster Mohd Ramzan Daing today called on the Secretary, Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages (JKAACL), Jammu and presented a detailed account of the history and linguistic heritage of the Khah (Khasha) language.
During the meeting, the delegation submitted a comprehensive memorandum seeking inclusion, institutional recognition and promotion of the Khah language within the Academy’s linguistic and cultural framework. The delegation highlighted the historical, linguistic and cultural significance of Khah, an Indo-Aryan language spoken predominantly in parts of the Chenab Valley.
The delegation urged the Academy to recognise Khah as a distinct language, emphasizing that such recognition is vital for safeguarding its linguistic identity and ensuring sustained literary and academic growth. They also sought financial and institutional support for publication and research in the Khah language including poetry, prose, grammar books, dictionaries, textbooks, translations and scholarly studies.
The delegation requested adequate representation of Khah writers, poets, researchers and scholars in various literary and cultural activities organised by the Academy, such as seminars, conferences, workshops, mushairas, book fairs and literary festivals.
The delegation also underscored the urgent need for systematic documentation and preservation of Khah oral literature, including folk songs, ballads, folktales, proverbs, riddles and traditional knowledge, which are at risk of fading due to rapid socio-cultural changes.
The members of the delegation included Sarpanch Rehmatullah Naik, Dr. Mohd Muzamil Sohil, Mohd Sharif Malik, Mohd Sharif Sohil, Dr. Shakeel Ahmed Sohil and Mohd Rafiq Naik.
The Secretary, JKAACL, gave a patient hearing to the delegation and appreciated the concerns raised regarding the preservation and promotion of the Khah language. The Secretary assured that the memorandum and the demands put forth would be examined and put up in accordance with the mandate, policies and procedures of the Academy.
The delegation expressed hope that the Academy would take positive and constructive steps towards recognizing and promoting the Khah language, thereby strengthening the linguistic diversity and cultural heritage of Jammu and Kashmir.
Among others, Additional Secretary, JKAACL, Sonali Arun Gupta, Additional Secretary, Lal Chand and other officers of JKAACL were present on the occasion.