Members of the Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee at a meeting in Dhanbad on Sunday. Picture by Gautam Dey

Dhanbad, Jan. 9: Punjabi culture isn’t merely about feet-tapping Bhangra numbers.

With an aim to dispel remote notions of Punjabi language and culture and promote its richness, over 500 scholars and academics from Punjab and eastern India will take part in a daylong conference at Guru Gobind Singh Public School in Dhanbad on January 12.

The meet, titled Poorvi Bharti Punjabi Conference, being organised by Punjabi University, Patiala, in association with the Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee, Dhanbad, will seek ways to promote Punjabi culture among the younger generation.

The conference will discuss the status of the Punjabi language and find ways to create cultural awareness among non-Punjabis as well.

“Despite the fact that Punjab has made significant contribution in the cultural, educational and economic development of the nation, the present generation is not aware about its rich tradition. Most youngsters even feel ashamed about speaking Punjabi, let alone writing it,” said Delhi Public School, Dhanbad, principal K.B. Bhargava, an organiser of the conference.

“The conference will delve deep into this problem and try to find out a solution through discussions,” he added.

Issues such as studies and teaching of the Punjabi language in eastern India will also be discussed in the event, which will be presided over by Lt Governor of Puducherry Sardar Iqbal Singh as the chief guest.

Co-convenor of the function Sardar Rajinder Singh Chahal said eminent scholars including Punjabi University, Patiala, vice chancellor Dr. Jaspal Singh and Bhartiya Sahitya Akademi vice-president Sutinder Singh Noor, besides former Jharkhand Assembly Speaker Inder Singh Namdhari, inspector-general Anurag Gupta will attend the conference.

“The conference, being organised for the first time on January 12, a day after the birth anniversary of Guru Gobind Singh, will be held regularly after a gap of one or two years,” said Balbir Singh Dua, the secretary of Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee.

He pointed out that participants from Assam, Meghalaya, Orissa, Bengal, Bihar and across Jharkhand would also attend the conference.

The discussions will also touch upon various facets of Punjabi culture and history including its festivals, Sufi music, contribution to India’s freedom struggle, defence, Green Revolution, et al.

“We will also explore possibilities of opening a centre or a branch of Punjabi University in the eastern region to promote the language,” said Chahal.

A host of cultural programmes will follow the conference.