Garhwal Post Bureau
Dehradun, 30 Mar: The Doon Library and Research Centre released Dr Shobharam Sharma’s book, “Raji Language and Culture”, on Monday. It is a comprehensive study of the linguistic and cultural history of the Raji tribe, one of the oldest and most endangered tribes of Uttarakhand.
The book release event was attended by scholars, linguists, and cultural enthusiasts, who emphasised the importance of preserving the Raji language and culture. The speakers described the Raji tribe as the last remnants of the ancient ‘Agnay’ (Austro-Asiatic) civilisation of the Himalayas.
Dr Shobharam Sharma, in a video message, shared his journey of studying the Raji language and culture, which began in 1955 and led to his PhD from Agra University in 1969. He explained how the Raji language is part of the Mundari language family.
Nrip Singh Napalchyal, former Chief Secretary and Chief Information Commissioner of Uttarakhand, emphasised the importance of preserving the Raji language and culture, suggesting that primary education should be imparted in the Raji language. He also shared his experiences as a student of Dr Shobharam Sharma.
Dr Kavita Rastogi, a renowned linguist, described the book as a pioneering work on the Raji language, highlighting the presence of ‘Agnay’ elements in the language. She said that although she considers Raji to be a Tibeto-Burman language, Dr Sharma’s research indicates the presence of ‘Agnay’ elements, which opens up new avenues for future research.
Dr Kamla Pant praised the book as a historical research document that preserves the language and culture of a vanishing tribe. She highlighted the unique aspects of Raji culture, such as their tradition of not greeting others as they consider themselves to be the elder brother of the royal family of Askot.
The event was moderated by Arvind Shekhar, a senior journalist and Dr Shobharam Sharma’s son. He said that the book will be a valuable resource for researchers and scholars studying languages and cultures.
Chandrashekhar Tewari, Program Officer, Doon Library and Research Centre, welcomed the guests and introduced the speakers. Nicholas Hoffland proposed the vote of thanks.
The event was attended by Dr Sudharani Pandey, Anil Karki, Dr Sushil Upadhyay, Hayat Singh Rawat, Rajesh Saklani, Usha Naudiyal, Ramakant Benjwal, Mahavir Rawaltan, Sudhir Singh Bisht, Dr Subhash Thaledi, Bina Benjwal, Jitendra Bharti, Dr Lalita Prasad, Sunder Singh Bisht, Bhagwan Prasad Ghildiyal, and other scholars, linguists, and cultural enthusiasts.
