Srinagar February 23 (KNS): AIKS in collaboration with IGNCA ( under ministry of culture) organized International Mother tongue day at Umang Auditorium IGNCA Janpath in New Delhi. The event that was to promote and preserve Mother tongue Kashmiri was attended by a full house. The function was presided over by Dr. Rashmi Singh IAS Principal Resident Commissioner Govt of J&K, Sh. Sachchidanand Joshi , Member Secy. IGNCA and Ms. Sadaf Munshi, Prof North Texas USA as guest of honour.

Welcoming the guest of honours by the President AIKS Ravinder Pandita, Pt. Omkar Koul award was given to Sh. T N Kundan , an eminent writer. On this occasion a symposium on ' Preservation of mother Tongue & Kashmiri culture and solutions' was organised in which eminent speakers spoke on the occasion including a guest speaker Kh. Abdul Ghani from POK via Live streaming. In the second session a mushaira was organised in which poets & writers from Delhi - NCR as well from valley Sufi Shauqat, Prof.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp ChannelMeem Hai Zaffar, Fayaz Dilbar, Shahi Shahbaz also took part. The gathering was enthralled by kashmiri songs by noted singers Pt. Dhananjay Koul, Vanshika Bhat and Upasana Pandita.

A special issue of VAAKH - the only magazine in Kashmiri Devanagari script and monthly Naad magazine was released on the occasion.

Ravinder Pandita President AIKS thanked the whole team as well as CKLLC headed by Roop Krishen Bhat and IGNCA for making the event a grand success after a break of few years. All eminent speakers including Khawaja Abdul Ghani from POK expressed apprehensions on the diminishing status of Kashmiri language, both spoken and written and raised their voice for preservation of the same. AIKS president requested that Devanagari script be recognized as co script of Kashmiri language.(KNS)