Lok Sabha Question No. 984 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-02-10
Subject: Preservation of Indigenous Languages and Cultural Heritage
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: Shri E T Mohammed Basheer

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 984

## TO BE ANSWERED ON 10.02.2025

## PRESERVATION OF INDIGENOUS LANGUAGES AND CULTURAL HERITAGE

## 984 SHRI E T MOHAMMED BASHEER:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) the  details  of  the  initiatives  to  promote  and  preserve  indigenous  languages  and  cultural heritage; and
- (b) whether the Government has any collaborative projects with State Governments to document and celebrate tribal history, folklore and art and if so, the details thereof?

## ANSWER

## MINISTER OF CULTURE AND TOURISM

## (GAJENDRA SINGH SHEKHAWAT)

- (a) The Government of India, through its autonomous institutions under the Ministry of Culture is  actively  engaged  in  promoting  and  preserving  India's  indigenous  languages  and  cultural heritage.  Sahitya  Akademi  recognizes  contributions  to  unrecognized  and  tribal  languages through  the  Bhasha  Samman  and  supports  them  via  writer  exchanges,  publications,  book exhibitions, and the Annual All India Tribal Writers' Meet. It also operates centers for folk and  tribal  literature  and  conducts  outreach  programs  like Loka:  The  Many  Voices and Gramalok .The details of programs from 2021-2024 are at Annexure.

Sangeet  Natak  Akademi  (SNA)  imparts  training  to  individuals  in  100  dying  art  forms through the Kala Deeksha program and the Guru-Shishya Parampara. It maintains a National Inventory of Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH), and 15 elements from India are inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of ICH of Humanity under the 2003 Convention.

IGNCA  undertakes  documentation,  digitization,  research,  and  awareness  programs  to safeguard  India's  linguistic  and  cultural  heritage.  Key  initiatives  include  Bharat  Vidya Pariyojana (BVP) for Indigenous knowledge systems, the Vedic Heritage Archive for Vedic texts, and Loka Parampara for oral traditions and folklore. The Adi Drishya Programmestudies Indigenous languages and rock art, while the Kala Nidhi Digital Library preserves rare manuscripts and ethnographic records. The North-East India Documentation Project records oral histories and linguistic structures of communities like the Nagas, Bodos, Mizos,  and  Khasis.  Additionally,  the  National  Mission  on  Cultural  Mapping  (NMCM)  is documenting  regional  languages,  art  forms,  and  customs  while  mapping  6  lakh  villages nationwide.

To promote cultural heritage, the Government has established seven Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs)  in  Patiala,  Nagpur,  Udaipur,  Prayagraj,  Kolkata,  Dimapur,  and  Thanjavur.  These ZCCs  organize  Rashtriya  Sanskriti  Mahotsav,  Shilpgram  Utsav,  Orange  City  Craft  Mela, Octave  -  Festival  of  North  East,  Salangai  Naadam,  National  Crafts  Fair,  Rashtriya  Shilp Mela, and Purbanchal Lok Mahotsav. These initiatives highlight the Government of India's commitment to preserving and promoting the nation's cultural and linguistic heritage.

- (b) The  Sahitya  Akademi  (SA)  collaborates  with  State-level  institutions  to  organize  local  and regional programs, including seminars and workshops to promote indigenous languages and literature.

The Lalit Kala Akademi (LKA) focuses on tribal visual arts through exhibitions, art camps, and workshops, providing a platform for tribal artists to showcase their talents at national and international levels. It also offers gallery spaces to connect artists with buyers and collectors. Recently, under its Public Art of India (PARI) Project, LKA featured folk and tribal artists from across the country during the 46th session of the  World Heritage Committee (WHC) conference in Delhi.

The Zonal Cultural Centres (ZCCs) actively collaborate with State Governments to conduct cultural programs.

During the Republic Day Parade 2025, Ministry of Culture, through Sangeet Natak Akademi (SNA),  presented  one  of  the  largest  dance  choreographies  featuring  5,000  folk  and  tribal artists selected from across the country.

Other  major  initiatives  include  the  National  Manuscripts  Mission  (NMM)  for  preserving ancient manuscripts focusing on the unique linguistic and cultural heritage. Additionally, the National  Mission  on  Cultural  Mapping  (NMCM)  is  systematically  documenting  regional languages, art forms, rituals, and customs across India's villages, reinforcing the government's dedication to cultural preservation.

***

Annexure  referred  to  in  reply  to  part  (a)  of  the  Lok  Sabha  Unstarred  Question  No.  984  to  be answered on 10.02.2025

## Details of programs conducted by Sahitya Akademi between 2021 and 2024

|   S.No. | Name of Event                                                                                                      | Date of Event        | Place of Event              |
|---------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|----------------------|-----------------------------|
|       1 | All India Bodo Women Writers' Meet                                                                                 | 30 June 2021         | Online                      |
|       2 | Symposium on the Present Status of Tiwa Poetry                                                                     | 19 July 2021         | Online                      |
|       3 | Symposium on Tribal Language and Literature                                                                        | 29 July 2021         | Online                      |
|       4 | Conference on Exploring Indigenous Poetry                                                                          | 9-11 August 2021     | Online                      |
|       5 | Symposium on Story Telling Tradition in Tribal Odisha                                                              | 31 October 2021      | Koraput, Odisha             |
|       6 | Symposium on Tribal Consciousness in the Odia Short Stories                                                        | 28 November 2021     | Balasore, Odisha            |
|       7 | Symposium on Tribal Language and Culture (Gothra Languages)                                                        | 11 March 2022        | Wayanad, Kerala             |
|       8 | Seminar on Tribal Literature in Western region                                                                     | 27 March 2022        | Mumbai, Maharashtra         |
|       9 | Symposium on Darrangi Folk Culture and Folk Literature                                                             | 8 January 2022       | Guwahati, Assam             |
|      10 | Gramalok: Folk Literature-Culture-Lecture                                                                          | 3 February 2022      | Kalaburgi, Karnataka        |
|      11 | Literary Forum: "Folk Languages of North Odisha"                                                                   | 15 August 2022       | Balasore, Odisha            |
|      12 | National Seminar in Maithili: "Contribution of Folk Songs and Folk Epics to the Enrichment of Maithili Literature" | 20-21 November 2022  | Jamshedpur, Jharkhand       |
|      13 | Symposium: Present Scenario of Rajasthani Folk Literature                                                          | 18 January 2023      | Udaipur, Rajasthan          |
|      14 | Marathi Seminar: Tribal Folk Literature of Maharashtra                                                             | 16-17 February 2023  | Palghar, Maharashtra        |
|      15 | Literary Forum on "Folk Elements in Bengali Literature"                                                            | 23 February 2023     | Kolkata, West Bengal        |
|      16 | Gramalok: Folklore in Creative Literature                                                                          | 27 June 2023         | Puducherry                  |
|      17 | Loka: The Many Voices (Konkani Siddi Folk Dances)                                                                  | 6 August 2023        | Mangalore, Karnataka        |
|      18 | Saora Language Convention                                                                                          | 22-23 April 2023     | Odisha                      |
|      19 | Kurmali Language Convention                                                                                        | 6-7 December 2023    | Ranchi, Jharkhand           |
|      20 | Kharia Language Convention                                                                                         | 5-6 July 2024        | Ranchi, Jharkhand           |
|      21 | Korku Language Convention                                                                                          | 15-16 July 2024      | Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh      |
|      22 | Baigani Language Convention                                                                                        | 23-24 August 2024    | Raipur, Chhattisgarh        |
|      23 | Nyishi Language Convention                                                                                         | 27-28 September 2024 | Doimukhi, Arunachal Pradesh |