On the occasion of ‘International Mother Language Day’, the Habba Khatoon Centre for Kashmiri Language and Literature, Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) Awantipora held its first Advisory Board meeting, which included eminent scholars and poets, such as Prof. Shafi Shauq, Prof Ratan Lal Shant, Zareef Ahmad Zareef, Prof. Naseem Shafaie, Prof. R. L Talashi, Prof. Farooq Fayaz, Prof. Mehfooza Jan, Rafiq Raz, Dr. Shafqat Altaf and few others.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Shakil A. Romshoo, who presided over the meeting, spoke about the objectives and mission of the Centre and thanked the distinguished experts in the field of Kashmiri language, culture and philosophy for their association with the Centre.
The aim of the Centre is to promote the richness of Kashmir culture, language and syncretism. Furthermore, he stated that the Centre will go way a long way towards fulfilling its mandate of preserving and promoting Kashmiri Language and Culture both within and outside the valley with the help of the eminent experts. The Centre will serve as focal point for accomplishing different initiatives for the promotion of culture and language as envisaged and outlined in the NEP 2020.
Earlier, Director of the Centre Prof. Majrooh Rashid, had earlier welcomed the guests and shared the agenda of the meeting as well its mission to promote the language. The experts congratulated the university for establishing and envisioning the goals of Habba Khatoon Centre for Kashmiri Language and Literature and assured their full support to the Centre.
Also present during the meeting were Dean Academic Affairs Prof. Manzoor Ahmad Malik, Registrar Prof. Naseer Iqbal, Dean Research Prof. A. H Moon, Associate Dean School of Humanities and Social Sciences Dr Munejah Khan.
In the second session, a special One Day seminar on ‘Naji Munawar’ who recently passed away and had remarkably contributed to the Kashmiri Language was organized in which three papers were read by Prof. Mehfooza Jan, Dr. Shafqat Altaf and Dr. Tahir which were followed by a discussion moderated by Dr. Tahir.