Kokrajhar, May 17: Bodo Sahitya Sabha, the apex Bodo literary body, is celebrating Boro Bejwng Saan at Salbari in Baksa district for two days from today to celebrate the 50th anniversary of implementation of Bodo language as a medium of instruction in schools.

Bodos have celebrated May 18 as Boro Bejwng Saan or Bodo-medium implementation day since the language was first introduced as a medium of instruction in schools this day in 1963.

The celebrations started today with a seminar on Fifty years of Bodo-medium education — its achievements and failures. Among the key speakers were Ranjit Borgoyary and Champabati Ker-katari, founder workers for introduction of Bodo medium, Krishna Gopal Basumatary, director of UN Academy in Kokrajhar, and Toren Boro, former vice president of Bodo Sahitya Sabha.

Tomorrow, Sabha president Kameswar Brahma will hoist the organisation’s flag followed by floral tributes to martyrs who sacrificed their lives for the development of Bodo language and literature.

Assam education minister Himanta Biswa Sarma is expected to grace tomorrow’s open session as the chief guest. BTC chief Hagrama Mohilary will inaugurate the session, which will also be attended by tourism minister Chandan Brahma and other dignitaries.

Absu will celebrate the day with a colourful programme here.

On May 18, 1963, the then Assam chief minister Bimala Prasad Chaliha had declared Bodo language as the medium of instruction in lower primary schools in the Bodo-dominated areas of Kokrajhar subdivision in the then undivided Goalpara district of lower Assam. The first batch of Bodo-medium students appeared in the HSLC examination in 1975. The Bodo language was declared an associate official language in 1985. It is now being taught as a Modern Indian Language in Gauhati University, Dibrugarh University, Tezpur University and Bodoland University. It was listed under the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution via the 92nd constitutional amendment 2003.

All Assam Tribal Sangha president Ranjit Borgoyary, who was among those who led the movement for implementation of Bodo language as a medium of instruction, said, “It’s a great moment for us that we are celebrating 50 years of implementation of Bodo as a medium of instruction in schools. We had fought hard to achieve this.”

Sabha general secretary Kamalakanta Muchahary said the Sabha, since its inception in 1952, has been working for the development of Bodo language and literature. “There have been lots of achievements but a lot more needs to be done for the development of Bodo literature and every Bodo individual has a great role to play in this.”

Muchahary said even after 50 years, Bodo-medium students have to face many problems, including non-availability of textbooks at the right time and inadequate number of teachers. He urged the state government to take proper action to solve the crisis, including creation of a separate directorate for Bodo medium, provincialisation of Bodo-medium institutions, appointment of teachers and timely distribution of textbooks.