Digitizing Diversity: Uttarakhand's Bold Step to Preserve Cultural Heritage

Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami unveiled a comprehensive plan on Monday aimed at preserving and promoting the linguistic and cultural heritage of Uttarakhand. The initiatives include digitizing local dialects, folk tales, songs, and literature through an e-library, and developing audio-visual content to bring these stories to life.

In an effort to engage younger generations, Dhami proposed weekly school competitions focusing on local dialects, alongside the creation of a linguistic map of the state's dialects. A large-scale festival celebrating Uttarakhand's diverse language and literary traditions is also on the cards, inviting litterateurs from across the country.

At a general assembly meeting of Uttarakhand Bhasha Sansthan, it was announced that literary awards would see increased funding, including the Uttarakhand Sahitya Gaurav Samman. Efforts also extend to organizing young writer competitions and mobile libraries in remote areas, aiming to nurture a new wave of literary talent and accessibility.

(With inputs from agencies.)