Srinagar, April 24: To revive and safeguard the Shina language spoken by the residents of the Gurez area in north Kashmir’s Bandipora district, the Jammu and Kashmir School Education department has decided to incorporate Shina subjects into the curriculum for primary classes in Gurez schools starting from this academic session.
The residents of the Gurez sub-division have expressed their gratitude towards the School Education department and JKBOSE for their efforts in introducing Shina language subjects for first and second grade classes. This initiative will help in preserving and reviving the Shina language in the Kashmir valley.
An official from JKBOSE told Rising Kashmir that they are going to develop the shina text books for the first and second grade..
“The teachers from the Bandipora district who are well experienced in the Shina language have prepared these two text books for the first and second classes,” the official said.
He said that the book is in the final stage, and when it is completed will be sent to Bandipora district.
Ajaz Ahmad Dar, a resident of Gurez and an employee at the Shina Cultural Centre in Gurez, emphasised the significance of introducing Shina textbooks for first and second-grade classes in the Educational Zone of Gurez.
“This initiative will greatly assist students in learning to read and write in the Shina language right from the beginning of their schooling,” he said.
Dar highlighted that the Dard-Shin community, consisting of over 40 thousand individuals, predominantly speaks the Dard-Shin language in the Bandipora district.
He said that in 2023, the Indian Army established the Shina Cultural Centre in Gurez, which was inaugurated by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha. “The primary objective of this centre is to preserve and promote the rich artistic heritage of the Dard-Shin tribal community, offering insights into its vibrant culture to a global audience.”
Dar commended the steps taken by JKBOSE, emphasising the importance of promoting the Shina language and providing the Dard-Shin community with an opportunity to delve into the language’s history from a young age. He underscored the historical significance of the Shina language, which dates back to the 3rd century and is spoken by people in Gilgit-Baltistan, Ladakh, and Gurez.
Moreover, Dar noted that many individuals from Gurez have migrated to other areas of the Kashmir valley due to their inability to speak the language fluently.
