Need to preserve Kashmiri language

The people across the world organized events and seminars to promote the mother tongue in their respective places. However, the study shows that 40 per cent of the population across the globe does not have access to an education in a language they speak or understand. If we talk about Kashmir, most of the youngsters, who are educated, don’t even understand their mother tongue while most among them are not even able to speak in their own language. It has been observed that the educated families don’t prefer to let their beloved talk in their mother language, but have been prompting modernization among them and thus they are able to speak only other languages except the mother language. Speaking in the mother language should be a matter of pride for everyone, but the parents should put an end to the use of other languages at home and must prefer only Kashmiri language to ensure that the younger generation is educated about their own culture and tradition. It is an apt time to come up with a comprehensive strategy to help keep all the languages being spoken in Jammu and Kashmir including Kashmiri, Dogri and Punjabi alive. There is a need to prioritize the mother language in the education sector, especially during formative years of learning. There is a need to preserve the linguistic heritage of Jammu and Kashmir and thus the mother tongue must be the medium of instruction in schools especially at formative stages.