JAMMU: Languages need interaction to thrive; in isolation, they risk extinction. This was the central message at the Cheten Di Lari Scholarship event, part of the 10th Kunwar Viyogi Utsav 2025, held at the Brigadier Rajinder Singh Auditorium, University of Jammu.
Delivering the keynote, Prof. Umesh Rai, Vice Chancellor, University of Jammu, stressed the urgent need to integrate Dogri with technology, digital platforms, and comparative studies to make it appealing to youth and ensure its survival.
“Dogri is receding towards extinction, and with it, the ethos of Jammu itself,” he warned, while highlighting the decline in admissions in the Department of Dogri. He urged that translations, integration with Sanskrit, English, Punjabi, and Urdu, and career-linked opportunities can create a sustainable path forward.
At the event, the Kunwar Viyogi Memorial Trust (KVM Trust) unveiled the blueprint of the upcoming Kunwar Viyogi Auditorium. Trustee and architect Aarushi Juneja Jamwal presented the design of the 150-seater semi-hexagonal cultural hub, dedicated to promoting languages, literature, and performing arts. “The auditorium is a tribute to Kunwar Viyogi’s legacy—modern in design yet rooted in culture and inclusivity,” she said.
The event also honoured meritorious students with scholarships instituted in the memory of Group Captain Randhir Singh Jamwal (Kunwar Viyogi):
- Rupali Devi – Prem Jamwal Merit Scholarship (Topper, MA Dogri)
- Pankaj Sharma – Kunwar Viyogi Merit Scholarship (Topper, MA Dogri)
- Aisha Talhat – Prem Jamwal Merit Scholarship (Topper, MA English)
Trust Founder Poonam Singh Jamwal called for Dogri literature to be integrated into school curricula in line with NEP guidelines. “If Shakespeare has a place in our classrooms, why not Kunwar Viyogi, whose works like Temple Bells of Jammu, Twenty-Four Hours, and Chenab are timeless lessons in identity and belonging?” she said.
The event featured the launch of a new Dogri bhajan Maauwa sung by Padma Shri Anoop Jalota and composed by Brij Mohan, who also shared his inspiration behind translating Kunwar Viyogi’s patriotic song Jai Dogra.
Eminent speakers including Padma Shri Lalit Mangotra, Padma Shri Mohan Singh Slathia, and Padma Shri Balwant Thakur underscored the urgency of preserving Dogri as the lifeline of Duggar identity and emphasized comparative studies and technology-driven initiatives.
The event concluded with the launch of a student journal by Prof. Rai, Trust members, and distinguished guests. Performances of Dogri songs by students further enlivened the atmosphere.
The Cheten Di Lari Scholarship event reaffirmed that the survival of Dogri depends not just on remembrance, but on active revival—through education, creativity, technology, and collective will.
