Money Is Available But No Punjabi Teachers
Punjab has been divided numerous times. Both during and after partition. Anita Rau Badami eloquently writes, “First it was Partition and half our land disappeared. Now our own leaders are chopping it up like a piece of meat”. The Punjabi language was one thing we hoped would cross borders despite all the “chopping”. Ultimately, it was the language of the Punjabi soul regardless of how political borders were drawn.
However, the Punjabi language is being lost. It has been granted “second language status” under the Official Language Act. Although extremely disappointing that Punjabi is given a 2nd status-one walks away thinking at least it still has some official status. However, Punjabis’ actions are speaking louder than our words when Punjabi is virtually not being taught in schools or used in official administrative work in Chandigarh. This abandonment is occurring despite the availability of financial assistance from the Central Government government to hire Punjabi language teachers. This financial assistance is supposed to cover the entire financial costs of language teachers’ appointments and salaries.
Prabhjot Singh writes for “The Tribune” that the Human Resource Development Minister Kapil Sibal (a Punjabi himself) stated:
None of the northern states other than Himachal Pradesh had applied for financial assistance for the appointment of Punjabi teachers during the past three years. Only Himachal Pradesh had obtained a grant in October 2007 for the appointment of 100 Punjabi teachers.
Interestingly, Haryana, Union Territory of Chandigarh, Jammu and Kashmir, and Delhi have substantial Punjabi-speaking populations, but have asked for no financial assistance to appoint Punjabi teachers.
However, there are many requests for grants to the Central Government to appoint Urdu teachers in many states.
Now, we have to ask ourselves rather than just blame the Government: Are Punjabis really doing what we can to preserve the Punjabi language in India?
9 Responses to “Money Is Available But No Punjabi Teachers”
Their is a covet campaign in Punjab to suggest that "Punjabi speaking " is backward and is done by pindus and the unintelligent people.
We must guard our selves against such an attitude of hating our own mother tongue
One postive contribution to punjabi could be if we could translate one foreign book into Punjabi in our life time.
German Sikhs could translate German books
French Sikhs could translate French books
Italian Sikhs could translate Italian books
Spanish Sikhs could translate Spanish books
Anglican Sikhs could translate Anglican books.
This way I guess we could realy enrich Punjabi.
etc etc
May be Punjabi Univ Punjabi dept could ponder on this idea.
Their is a covet campaign in Punjab to suggest that “Punjabi speaking ” is backward and is done by pindus and the unintelligent people.
We must guard our selves against such an attitude of hating our own mother tongue
One postive contribution to punjabi could be if we could translate one foreign book into Punjabi in our life time.
German Sikhs could translate German books
French Sikhs could translate French books
Italian Sikhs could translate Italian books
Spanish Sikhs could translate Spanish books
Anglican Sikhs could translate Anglican books.
This way I guess we could realy enrich Punjabi.
etc etc
May be Punjabi Univ Punjabi dept could ponder on this idea.
Why, when you can write about similiar subjects in Punjabi yourselves? That said, I agree with you the best and original of these could and should be, but Harinder, there is no point, unless culturally it has a connection with the Punjabi soul, and experience, or is adopted to do so, which brings me on to saying, let Punjabis write their own versions of these.
The big problem is, unlike the rest of India, Punjabis don't read enough of their own literature…this is the habit that needs to be made fashionable…the second problem, as you have highlighted, we have been brainwashed into thinking it is a second rate Pindu language..well let's make it the language of the city.
I recently visited Punjab, and was shocked to see English and Hindi signs dominating Chandigarh and other places..I am not saying anti Hindu, or anti Muslim or anything…I am talking about the language!!!
No we are not losing our language
but as this link proves we could
http://lahore.metblogs.com/2009/01/01/the-state-o…
I believe that the Punjab Government is doing all it can now, and are actually making the language official….can anyone confirm this?
Yes Rana, Hindi is taking over even in the conversations in Indian Punjab, whilst in Pakistan Urdu and Arabic are doing the same…
In UK we still speak the Punjabi ( where we do) of the 1960s, thus closer to pure Punjabi, but mixed with an English Milieu
If they are looking for Punjabi teachers…I'll take the grant!! I am more than willing to teach Punjabi
http://www.5abi.com/5ratan/
Why, when you can write about similiar subjects in Punjabi yourselves? That said, I agree with you the best and original of these could and should be, but Harinder, there is no point, unless culturally it has a connection with the Punjabi soul, and experience, or is adopted to do so, which brings me on to saying, let Punjabis write their own versions of these.
The big problem is, unlike the rest of India, Punjabis don't read enough of their own literature…this is the habit that needs to be made fashionable…the second problem, as you have highlighted, we have been brainwashed into thinking it is a second rate Pindu language..well let's make it the language of the city.
I recently visited Punjab, and was shocked to see English and Hindi signs dominating Chandigarh and other places..I am not saying anti Hindu, or anti Muslim or anything…I am talking about the language!!!
No we are not losing our language
but as this link proves we could
http://lahore.metblogs.com/2009/01/01/the-state-o…
I believe that the Punjab Government is doing all it can now, and are actually making the language official….can anyone confirm this?
Yes Rana, Hindi is taking over even in the conversations in Indian Punjab, whilst in Pakistan Urdu and Arabic are doing the same…
In UK we still speak the Punjabi ( where we do) of the 1960s, thus closer to pure Punjabi, but mixed with an English Milieu
If they are looking for Punjabi teachers…I'll take the grant!! I am more than willing to teach Punjabi
http://www.5abi.com/5ratan/
yes we are loosing our mother language …we have to take strong steps to survive our mother language…