Governor presents literary awards to eminent writers; calls to preserve regional languages

MUMBAI: The Governor of Maharashtra Ch Vidyasagar Rao presented the 34th Priyadarshni Annual Literary Awards to eminent writers in Hindi, Sindhi and Gujarati language at a function held (at IMC Walchand Hirachand Auditorium, Churchgate) in Mumbai on Wednesday (14th March). The awards have been instituted by the Priyadarshni Academy.

Chairman of Priyadarshni Academy Niranjan Hiranandani, ChairmanEmeritus Nanik Rupani, former Sheriff of Mumbai Dr Mohan Patel, Chairperson of the Ladies’s Wing of Indian Merchants’ Chamber Nayantara Jain, Shilpa Karia and others were present.

Hastimal Hasti (Hindi), Maya Rahi (Sindhi) and Dr Pravin Darji (Gujarati) were presented the Literary Awards. Dr Narendra Jadhav who was selected for the literary award (Marathi) could not attend the function. The Governor also presented scholarship cheques to students on this occasion. Speaking at the Literary Awards presentation function, Governor CH Vidyasagar Rao said Indian languages are repositories of the country’s rich literature, customs and traditions, culture, art and heritage. Cautioning that many languages in India have been marked as endangered, he called for efforts to preserve all Indian languages, dialects and scripts.

“Today there is a movement to save our rivers. Likewise there is a need to save our languages and dialects, which are rivers of our cultural knowledge and wisdom. When a language dies, the loss is irreversible,” said the Governor. — Staff Reporter