Rongali in depth: Assamese language on digital platforms

Guwahati, April 23: On Sunday, the fourth day of the Rongali festival, a discussion on ‘Practice and Promotion of Assamese Language in Digital Platform’ was held at the Khanapara Veterinary College Ground in Guwahati. The experts in attendance shared their experiences over the last 10-15 years, which have been crucial for the Assamese language's arrival on digital platforms. The digitization of the Assamese language since 2005 was discussed at length.

The participants included renowned author Mayur Bora, Mukunda Madhab Pujari from the State e-Governance Mission Team of the Assam government, Anjal Bora from Sabda Language Services, Mridul Kumar Sharma, the creator of Lachit Key Board, Gitartha Bordoloi, one of the editors of Wikipedia, career counsellor Buljit Burhagohain, and Hemanta Kalita, the convenor of the State Language Implementation Committee of Asam Sahitya Sabha.

"We discussed the challenges and opportunities for the Assamese language on digital platforms, and it was a very interesting and in-depth conversation," said Anjal Bora, project collaborator at Sabda Language Services.

The Commissioner of Police of Guwahati, Diganta Barah, also attended as a guest and expressed the importance of the discussion. "It's extremely crucial. It has been very enriching for me. Many years from now, your (individuals who have been working relentlessly to make Assamese language’s presence on the digital platforms) names will be written in golden letters," he said.

Asam Sahitya Sabha president Surjya Hazarika moderated the programme and expressed the organization's willingness to work jointly on this issue. "We discussed Unicode and its related stuff, and it was hugely beneficial," he said.

The organizer, Shyam Kanu Mahanta, stated that the future is digital, and it is essential to make the Assamese language stronger in this regard. "We need to create more content in Assamese and make it accessible to people on digital platforms," he said. Mahanta mentioned that Rongali is a very glamorous festival, It is followed by large no of youths, we want to send the message across to the youths, we love our language and we have our duty to make it more popular, the youths must try to write more and more in Assamese.

The four-day extravaganza which started on April 20 aims to promote the unique culture of the state and celebrate its diversity through a series of events and activities. The Rongali festival has been a hit among crowds of all ages, with its diverse range of events and activities. "I've been coming to the Rongali festival every year, and it's always a great experience. There's something for everyone, from traditional performances to modern exhibitions," said Dipankar Sarma, a regular attendee.

The evening musical shows have also been a big draw, with popular artists like Zubeen Garg and others performing to massive crowds.

According to the organizers, more than 1 lakh footfalls have been recorded so far. "We're thrilled to see such a huge turnout for the festival. It's a testament to the love and enthusiasm that people have for our culture and diversity," said Shyam Kanu Mahanta.

The festival has also been a platform for local artists and artisans to showcase their talents and products. "I've been able to sell a lot of my handicrafts at the festival. It's a great opportunity for us to showcase our work to a wider customer base," said Kamalika Das, a local artisan.

Overall, the Rongali festival has been a resounding success, with visitors from all over the state and beyond coming together to celebrate it. "It's a great feeling to see so many people gathered here to celebrate our culture and heritage. The Rongali festival is truly a highlight of the year for us," said Dinesh Das, a visitor from Dibrugarh.