First-Ever Assamese Dictionary In Braille Is Released By The Assam Government
Update: 2022-09-18 13:30 IST
The first Assamese etymological dictionary, Hemkosh, was created by Hemchandra Barua and initially made available in 1919. It continues to be published under the Sadin-Pratidin group and is regarded as the "standard" reference for Assamese orthography. Assam Governor Jagdish Mukhi debuted a new inclusive Braille edition of the dictionary on September 17.
The governor posted on Twitter that he was overjoyed to have participated in the debut of the acclaimed Assamese dictionary's first-ever Braille edition.
The new version is anticipated to raise the standard of educational opportunities offered to visually impaired students in the state and increase access to their native tongue through tools like the Assamese dictionary. It would close a wide divide between those who are visually impaired and others in the literary world.
The state's visually challenged citizens will receive free copies of the Braille edition of the dictionary, which was published under the banner of the Sadin-Pratidin association. According to sources, a release from the Raj Bhavan further ensured the free distribution.
Governor Mukhi highlighted that the project would allow the visually impaired inhabitants to take advantage of Hemkosh's amenities in the same way as any other Assamese. Throughout the years, the Hemkosh was crucial to the advancement of the local language, he continued, and he believed that by include Braille in the dictionary, a bigger population would benefit.