Asom Sahitya Sabha pushes for Assamese as fourth language in Arunachal
The Sabha is also working to build cultural ties with Nagaland and Barak Valley and inducted Barak police and professors of Assam University as lifetime members.
Asom Sahitya Sabha president Dr. Basanta Kumar Goswami
Jorhat, June 11: In a series of initiatives aimed at fostering cultural unity across Northeast India, Asom Sahitya Sabha announced a number of significant measures, including efforts to introduce Assamese as the fourth official language in Arunachal Pradesh and to forge stronger cultural ties with Nagaland and the Barak Valley.
Speaking at a press briefing in Jorhat, Dr. Basanta Kumar Goswami, President of the Asom Sahitya Sabha, outlined the Sabha’s ongoing Setubandhan campaign. "Our goal is to culturally unify Assam with its neighboring northeastern states. We’ve already seen overwhelming success in Barak Valley and Arunachal, and we are preparing to extend our efforts to Nagaland and Meghalaya as well," he said.
Highlighting their recent outreach, Dr. Goswami announced that a delegation from the Sabha will visit Namsai in Arunachal Pradesh on June 21.
“There are 25 Assamese-speaking villages in Namsai. The people can speak Assamese but lack literacy in the language. During our upcoming visit, we will meet with the Deputy CM of Arunachal Pradesh and explore ways to formalise Assamese as the fourth official language of the state,” he stated.
Dr. Goswami emphasised that this initiative aims not just to preserve the language but to empower Assamese-speaking communities through education and official recognition.
In another strategic move, the Sabha is planning a cultural exchange with Nagaland.
“We have plans to visit Nagaland before December this year. Our intention is to foster mutual understanding and shared cultural experiences,” said Dr. Goswami.
The society also aims to engage with Meghalaya in similar ways, continuing its mission of building a pan-Northeast cultural solidarity.
Dr. Goswami described the Sabha’s mid-May visit to Barak Valley as a “100% success.”
He revealed that during the trip, all police officers in the Barak region were inducted as lifetime members of the Asom Sahitya Sabha as part of a symbolic gesture to deepen Assamese cultural engagement in the Bengali-majority area.
“In Barak, the Vice Chancellor of Assam University immediately approved the lifetime membership of the university itself, along with several professors and lecturers, during our visit. This kind of acceptance speaks volumes about our shared values,” said Goswami.
However, he acknowledged the linguistic diversity of the Barak Valley and its constitutional right to promote Bengali, saying, “It is natural that the people there learn Bengali, but our initiative ensures that Assamese also has a significant place in their cultural life.
Dr. Goswami concluded by reaffirming the Sabha’s commitment to “connect hearts across borders through language, literature, and culture.” The organisation’s Setubandhan program, launched soon after the new committee took charge, has already created waves with its inclusive and proactive approach.
With the June 21 Arunachal visit on the horizon and plans for Nagaland underway, the Asom Sahitya Sabha’s cultural diplomacy is setting a new benchmark in regional cooperation and identity preservation.