The North News
Chandigarh, February 21
Punjab’s Higher Education and Languages Minister, Harjot Singh Bains, has urged residents to embrace Punjabi in daily life, marking International Mother Language Day with a call to protect and promote the state’s linguistic heritage. Bains stressed that a mother tongue is central to identity, education, and cultural preservation, enhancing learning and fostering community bonds. He instructed the Languages Department to expand efforts to safeguard Punjabi, including promoting literary initiatives and integrating the language into digital platforms.
The minister highlighted the state’s schemes, such as the Best Literary Punjabi Book Award, which has distributed 48 awards since 2020, and financial support for 23 literary societies. Over 160 cultural events, poetry competitions, and literary workshops have also been held across Punjab. In 2023 and 2024, November was designated Punjabi Month, featuring 50 celebratory events.
Recognising the digital shift, Punjab has launched a project to integrate Punjabi with Artificial Intelligence (AI). A series of expert-led workshops is training writers and students to develop AI-powered language tools. Additionally, the government is digitising 125,000 books in Punjabi and other languages, making them available online alongside dictionaries and classic literature.
