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Pune: Pali is an ancient language in which classical arts and literature have been created. “We have published various types of literature in Pali language in our country,” said Dr. James Wu Hartmann, a renowned linguist from Germany.
The event took place at Savitribai Phule Auditorium in Bhavani Peth, Pune. Distinguished guests present on the dais included Dr. Sunil Ware, Director General of the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Research and Training Institute, Rahul Dambale, Chief Organizer of the Conference and representative of Padmapani Foundation, Dr. Siddharth Dhende, Welcome President of the Conference, Dr. Deepak Chandane, Head of Pratima Publications, former MLA and Pali scholar Gautam Chabukswar, Suvarna Dambale, Chief Convener of the Conference, Dr. Vijay Khare, Head of the Department of Defence and Strategic Studies, Savitribai Phule Pune University, Dr. Bhimrao Patil, Head of the Pali Department at Rajarshi Shahu College, Latur, among other eminent personalities.
This conference saw the participation of scholars and researchers from eight countries, including India, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Germany, Switzerland, South Korea, and Thailand.
While addressing the gathering, Dr. Ujjwal Kumar emphasized that a vast amount of literature has been created in the Pali language, and translating this literature is essential. He stated that Pali is a global heritage language, and efforts must be made for its preservation and promotion.
During his speech, Dr. Sunil Ware, Director General of the Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar Research and Training Institute, remarked that significant efforts were made to obtain the classical language status for Pali. He highlighted that major initiatives were taken, especially from North India, and that several scholars from Nagpur and Mumbai universities actively advocated for this recognition through official correspondence and legal measures.
He further explained that one of the criteria for a classical language is that it should be at least 1,500 to 2,000 years old. However, Pali is over 3,000 years old. The inscriptions of Emperor Ashoka, found in India, were written in Pali language using the Brahmi script. Due to sustained efforts, the current government granted Pali the status of a classical language, which will significantly contribute to its wider recognition and dissemination.
Former MLA and Pali scholar Gautam Chabukswar remarked that Pali is the foundation of Dhamma and forms the core of socio-political movements. He expressed disappointment that despite being granted classical language status, Pali is not being celebrated as other languages are. He pointed out that Gujarati, Rajasthani, Sindhi, Bengali, Punjabi, and many other languages contain elements of Pali. Additionally, various regional languages in Maharashtra also have roots in Pali, demonstrating its ancient and rich heritage.
The event commenced with the worship of literary texts and garlanding the statues of Mahatma Jyotiba Phule and Savitribai Phule as a mark of tribute.
Following the inaugural ceremony, expert sessions were conducted on topics such as:
“The Humanitarian Messages in Emperor Ashoka’s Inscriptions”
“Pali Language – Opportunities and Challenges”
“The Significance of Pali Literature and Its Development”
These sessions featured valuable insights from distinguished scholars and experts in the field.
