Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday inaugurated ‘Shabdalok‘, the country’s first museum dedicated to Indian languages, at the National Library in Kolkata.
Shah described language as the foundation of civilisation and urged people to preserve their mother tongues and linguistic heritage.
The museum, officially named the ‘Museum of Words’, has been established in a building within the National Library campus at an estimated cost of Rs 41 crore. The project has been developed to showcase the evolution of Indian languages and their contribution to the country’s cultural and civilisational journey.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, Union Culture Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, senior officials of the Ministry of Culture and other dignitaries.
Addressing the gathering, Shah said language shapes individuals and societies, rather than the other way around.
“Man does not create language; language creates man,” he said, adding that no nation’s cultural expression can exist without language.
He observed that culture originates from language and that words form the foundation of civilisation, literature and identity.
Emphasising the need to preserve India’s rich linguistic diversity, the Union Home Minister urged students and young people never to forget their mother tongue, saying that language serves as the primary medium through which traditions, values and culture are passed from one generation to another.
Praising Bengal’s contribution to India’s intellectual and cultural heritage, Shah said the state had remained at the forefront of literature, education and cultural thought for nearly five decades, providing leadership to the nation in several fields.
He said institutions such as ‘Shabdalok‘ would help preserve India’s linguistic traditions and inspire future generations to appreciate the country’s diverse cultural legacy.
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari said the establishment of the museum reflected the government’s commitment to preserving Bengal’s cultural heritage alongside economic development. He said the previous proposal for language preservation initiated by the Union government had not been implemented by the earlier state administration but was accepted within two months after the present government assumed office.
Describing the museum as another milestone under the Centre’s cultural initiatives, Adhikari said ‘Shabdalok‘ would present before visitors the evolution of India’s many languages through modern museum displays.
He added that several institutions under the Union Ministry of Culture are located in West Bengal, reaffirming the state’s importance as a centre of India’s cultural heritage.
The chief minister also said Union Home Minister Amit Shah had written a letter in Bengali to the state government highlighting the importance of the Bengali language and its cultural significance. He indicated that details of the communication would be placed before the Assembly.