Vice President Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, Zafar Iqbal Manhas today held a meeting with the writers, poets and intellectuals of the district over several broader issues concerning the promotion and development of art, culture and languages in the sub-region.Speaking on the occasion, Manhas while underlining the importance of cultural awareness in the present era urged upon the writers and intellectuals to work proactively to spread cultural awareness so as to prepare people’s mind to keep the social and moral values alive and kicking which are to a great extent influenced by the onslaught of modernity.He favoured the idea of greater coordination between the Academy and the intelligentsia so as to give further impetus to the cultural and literary activities in the region. Responding to the demands put forth by the writers, Manhas assured them all genuine demands would be considered on priority and highlighted at appropriate platforms so that steps for their fulfilment could be undertaken.The Vice President said that he shall personally take care of the issue for the inclusion of Purgi in the 6th schedule. While admitting the importance of the setting up of exclusive sessions for Balti and Shina/ Dardi languages, he assured that the recruitment process of the posts in this regard shall be affected in near future. Manhas said that outsourcing of experts for documentation of folklore, folktales and epics can be an ideal step to ensure their preservation so as to save them from going into oblivion and urged upon the participants to present their suggestions in this regard.
Meanwhile, a slew of issues and demands like the up gradation of Sub Office Kargil in terms of manpower at par with other Sub Offices of the Academy, immediate advertising and filling up of the posts of Research Assistants and Assistant Editors of Balti and Shina/ Dardi languages which were sanctioned in Central Committee meeting of the Academy in the year 2013, grant of rightful status to the Purgi language by way of its inclusion language in the 6th Schedule of the State Constitution, up gradation of the sub-office Kargil to the status of a regional office having an Additional Secretary in place, provision of funds for construction of a compound wall for the newly constructed language-centre-cum-academy office Kargil, restoration and rebuilding of the community-centre-cum-display room of the Academy located at Baroo with modern and local touch architecture as an auditorium, seminar hall cum library cum office on the lines of K.L Sehgal Hall Jammu and Seminar Hall Lal Mandi Srinagar were raised by the participants.The writers also pitched for the establishment of Music and Fine Arts Institute, Song and Drama Division Unit, creation of the post of Drama Instructor at Sub Office Kargil, conduct of special interstate cultural exchange and exposure programmes for the writers, poets and artists to enable them to acquire newer skills and trends, organizing state level drama festivals in Kargil district and provision of office vehicle and bus to Sub Office Kargil for necessary consideration.
Intellectuals and poets also put forth their demands for the opening of a publication section at Sub Office Kargil, dictionary projects for Balti, Shina/Dardi and Purgi languages, holding of state and national level conferences at Kargil, provision of funds for holding of cultural and literary talks in schools and colleges with the aim to spread cultural awareness among the youngsters, opening up of an Academy library, due representation of Kargil in the Republic Day Tableaux, recording and documentation of epics, folk songs and folk tales etc.Special Officer for Cultural Activities Leh, Tsewang Paljor, Special Officer for Cultural Activities Kargil, Nazir Hussain, Poets Sadiq Ali Sadiq, Tsewang Namgyal Yarkeum, Kacho Gulzar Hussain Khan, Nasiruddin Khafee, Muhammad Issa Sabiri, Muhammad Jawad Jalib, Ajaz Hussain Munshi also spoke on the occasion.The meeting was attended, among others, by the representatives of cultural and theatre organizations, people associated with the media besides the members of Cultural Academy Leh and Kargil.