Photo Courtesy: India Today Group
Aizawl: Mizoram Chief Minister Lalduhoma wants more Mizo language content on the internet. He spoke on Wednesday, July 22, in Aizawl. The goal is simple: protect the language for future generations. He urged writers to translate Mizo literature into English, Hindi, Bengali, and other major world languages. Putting these works online helps people everywhere learn about the Mizo people.
The Chief Minister spoke at the launch of three new books, including Zawhzawzo Val, a Festschrift covering the life of scholar Prof. Laltluangliana Khiangte. He noted that feeding Mizo words and their English or Hindi equivalents into systems will improve AI applications. Mizo arrived on Google Translate in 2022. This makes digital growth vital.
Prof. Khiangte is a respected playwright, poet, and the senior-most professor in the Department of Mizo at Mizoram University. He received the Padma Shri in 2006 and holds the Pu Buanga Award from the Mizo Academy of Letters. Zawhzawzo Val notes that 20 of his 40 plays exist in Hindi, while 10 are in English. Many of his works feature in university curricula across India.
Mizoram University Vice Chancellor Prof. Dibakar Chandra Deka joined the event to release a Bengali book about the warrior Khuangchera, titled Pasaltha Khuangchera. Deka praised the scholar's impact. "He has widely promoted Mizo culture, language, literature and social issues in various languages, thereby bringing honour and recognition to the Zo people," the Vice Chancellor said.
The event also featured the release of the English-language book Lalzika and Vanthangi, written by Prof. Khiangte, alongside Teaching of Mizo Language in Secondary School. Khiangte retired from his post at the university in June. Officials expect the continued translation of these works to bolster the reach of Mizo heritage.
Comments