Shillong, April 21: The Hid Foundation Shillong welcomes and deeply appreciates the decision of the Government of Meghalaya, under the leadership of Chief Minister Shri Conrad K. Sangma, to initiate steps toward recognizing Khasi and Garo as official languages of the state.
As an organization that has worked very closely with grassroots communities for more than 14 years, we have experienced firsthand the problems people face when official communication is only in English.
There are many citizens, especially in rural areas, who struggle to understand government notices, forms, and schemes. With the recognition of our Khasi and Garo languages, people will finally be able to communicate with the government in their own language.
This historic decision acknowledges the rich linguistic heritage of Meghalaya. Recognizing Khasi and Garo as official languages will help preserve our indigenous identity, promote mother tongue-based education, and ensure effective communication between the government and citizens at the grassroots level.
Linguistic recognition strengthens cultural pride, safeguards traditional knowledge systems, and empowers local communities to participate more actively in governance and development. It will also encourage research, documentation, and literary growth in both languages for the benefit of future generations.
We strongly appreciate that the Conrad K. Sangma-led Government has taken this very important step. We also strongly advocate for the inclusion of both Khasi and Garo under the 8th Schedule of the Constitution of India.
We further appreciate the hard work and continuous efforts of the Khasi Authors’ Society (KAS) for consistently pursuing this long-pending aspiration of the people of Meghalaya.
