Port Blair, Aug 21: Three books and video CDs on the Grammar, Dictionary and Culture of the Nicobarese people were released by Mrs Ankita Mishra Bundela , Secretary (Art & Culture) at Conference Hall, ANIIDCO on 21st August 2017 .. Mrs Neha Bansal, DC Nicobar, Mrs Geetika Sharma, Director (Art & Culture) , Dr.S.A.Awaradi, Director, ANTRI and a few prominent persons representing the tribal communities of Nicobar were also present on the occasion.
These books and CDs, produced by the Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore , an apex Research Organization under the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Govt. of India, are the outcome of two research projects on the Nicobarese assigned by the Department of Art and Culture ,A&N Administration to document and preserve the language and culture of the Nicobarese people.
Speaking on the occasion , Secretary (Art & Culture) dedicated the work to the people of Nicobar and emphasized the need to digitise the work for making it more widely available.
She also stated that a workshop would soon be conducted by inviting the authors of the books and other stake holders to arrive at the way forward by which this work of immense literary value can be shared with the masses. She pointed out that this research work has resulted in the finding that there are six distinct languages among the Nicobarese and not one as hitherto commonly believed.
DC, Nicobar spoke about the need to make these books available in the libraries of all schools and colleges as well as release of the Videos on YouTube so that the world becomes aware of the beautiful people that the Nicobarese are. Director, ANTRI said that these books can serve as a catalyst for motivating the Nicobarese to learn the languages spoken by the different groups living in the Nicobar group of islands as well as the urgent need to document and preserve the Great Nicobarese language which is on the verge of extinction.
The representatives of the Nicobarese people present on the occasion also shared their views and expressed their desire to preserve the Nicobarese way of life which focuses on collective spirit rather than individual aspirations.
