Khamyang, Tai Phake and Singpho digitally preserved under major Assam language documentation initiative

Three of Assam’s critically endangered languages—Khamyang, Tai Phake and Singpho—have been digitally preserved under a comprehensive language documentation initiative led by the Nanda Talukdar Foundation with support from the All Assam Students’ Union (AASU), an official release said on January 20.

The digitised archive was formally opened for public access at a press conference addressed by AASU Adviser Dr Samujjal Kumar Bhattacharyya and AASU President Utpal Sharma. 

The event carried special significance with the presence of Bhogeswar Thomung, aged 84, the sole surviving fluent speaker of the Khamyang language, underscoring the urgency and cultural importance of the preservation effort.

The project involved large-scale digitisation of manuscripts, rare and out-of-print texts, historical photographs, and extensive audio recordings that document vocabulary, pronunciation, oral traditions, rituals and everyday language use within the three communities. The documentation has been undertaken in line with internationally accepted endangered-language preservation standards, including guidelines prescribed by UNESCO.

As part of the initiative, extensive audio archives have been created to capture core vocabulary, sentence structures and speech patterns, with the objective of supporting future learning tools, academic research and digital language applications. Visual documentation of cultural practices, traditional knowledge systems and community life has also been systematically preserved to provide a holistic linguistic and cultural record.

The effort forms part of the larger Digitising Assam programme, under which more than 2.6 million pages of Assamese literary and cultural material have already been digitised. Academic and technical support for the current project was provided by the Assamese and Indigenous Languages Institute of Assam, the release added.

Project Chief Adviser Dr Palash Nath said the digital archive would serve as a long-term resource for researchers, educators and community members, and could play a crucial role in future revitalisation initiatives for endangered languages in the state. AASU leaders stated that similar documentation and preservation efforts would be extended to other endangered languages of Assam in the coming years, reinforcing a broader commitment to safeguarding the state’s linguistic diversity.