The stream, “Indigenous and Endangered Languages” (IEL), inaugurated in 2024, is now in its second year. IEL is in alignment with the United Nations which has declared 2022-2032 “International Decade of Indigenous Languages.” Optimistic estimates suggest that at least 50 per cent of today’s spoken languages will be extinct or seriously endangered by 2100. Most of these are Indigenous languages.

Several Indigenous poets, storytellers, writers, artists, folklorists, and researchers are participating this year. Children’s stories, songs of resistance, a photo exhibition on Gondi life and art, and panel discussions by experts – this promises to be a vibrant stream! Come and celebrate India’s well-known linguistic diversity! Prominent participants in the stream include:

• Prof. Ajit Mohanty, Linguist and activist for Mother-Tongue education
• Dr. Mahendra Kumar Mishra, Educationist and folklorist of languages of Odisha and Chhattisgarh
• Dr. Madan Meena, Director, Adivasi Academy, Gujarat, and visual artist and researcher
• Dr. Sujoy Sarkar, Coordinator, Scheme for Protection and Preservation of Endangered Languages (SPPEL), Government of India
• The Relaa Collective, which will perform in Chhattisgarhi, Hindustani and English
• Mr Sumanaspati Reddy, photographer and filmmaker
• Dr. Pankaj Sekhsaria, Environmentalist and writer, Kalpavriksh