Manipur: IIIT celebrates Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav 2024

Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Manipur marked Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav 2024 in honour of the birth anniversary of Tamil poet, writer, journalist, and freedom fighter, Subramania Bharati, also known as "Mahakavi Bharathi." The event aimed to promote the importance of indigenous languages and cultural awareness while encouraging solidarity among people who speak diverse languages.

The celebration started at 12:10 pm at the IIIT Manipur city campus in Mantripukhri. Prof Krishnan Baskar, Director of IIIT Manipur, presided over the function. Kalaimamani Dr Cheyon, former director of All India Radio (AIR) and founder secretary of MTS Academy, Chennai, was the chief guest, while Bharathy Bhaskar, a banker, motivational speaker, and writer, attended the event online.

In her virtual address, Bhaskar delivered an insightful talk on the contributions of Mahakavi Subramania Bharati. Chief guest Cheyon’s interactive speech focused on Bharati’s role in women empowerment, citing several of his poems. He also reflected on the Ima Market in Manipur, the only women’s market in the world, and imagined how Bharati might have reacted to it.

The event concluded with the prize distribution for the previous day's Quiz and Sketch competitions. The winners were awarded cash prizes—Rs. 5,000 for first place, Rs. 3,000 for second, and Rs. 2,000 for third, along with certificates. Two participants in the Sketch competition also received consolation prizes of Rs. 1,000.

The event concluded with a screening of Bharathi, a Tamil film about the life of Mahakavi Subramania Bharati, which was attended by students, faculty, and other members of the institute.