AASU Inks MoU to Digitally Archive Endangered Assam Languages

In a landmark move to preserve Assam's linguistic and cultural heritage, the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) and the Nanda Talukdar Foundation (NTF) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to digitally archive rare literature from the endangered languages of Assam. This initiative is part of the broader "Digitizing Assam" project, which aims to safeguard the region's vulnerable linguistic heritage.

The pilot phase of this project will focus on three critically endangered indigenous languages: Khamyang, Tai Phake, and Singpho. Each of these languages is spoken by fewer than 10,000 people, with some facing the risk of complete extinction. Alarmingly, research has shown that the Khamyang language, in particular, is on the brink of disappearing, as only one individual remains proficient in reading, writing, speaking, and understanding it. Without immediate intervention, the knowledge and richness of these languages could be lost forever.

AASU has voiced deep concern over the imminent threat to these languages, highlighting the importance of preserving this unique cultural heritage. The project, which will span five months, is part of the larger "Digitizing Assam" initiative. Already, this platform has successfully digitized over 2.9 million pages of rare Assamese literature, making these invaluable resources publicly available in open-source format.

The "Digitizing Assam" initiative, a collaborative effort between the Nanda Talukdar Foundation and the Assam Jatiya Bidyalaya Educational and Socio-economic Trust, has played a pivotal role in the preservation of Assamese literary heritage. Under the MoU, AASU will assume a leading role in ensuring the conservation of critically endangered language literature, expanding the scope of the initiative to encompass other at-risk languages and communities across Assam.

Additionally, AASU will seek to explore how these languages might be revitalized within the framework of Clause VI of the Assam Accord, with future discussions planned with the Government of Assam. NTF will take the lead in conducting on-the-ground documentation and digital archiving, working closely with local community leaders to ensure that the content is properly indexed and uploaded to the "Digitizing Assam" platform.

The project is being overseen by Dr. Palash Kumar Nath, a distinguished expert in endangered languages, who is serving as the Honorary Project Adviser.

This collaboration between AASU and NTF represents a significant step towards safeguarding Assam's fragile linguistic and cultural identities, ensuring that future generations can access and appreciate the rich diversity of knowledge and tradition inherent in these endangered languages.