Jammu, Apr 18: The writers have sought the government’s intervention to make Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture, and Languages (JKAACL) an autonomous institution for artists and writers and have sought a greater role in the decision-making and promotion of art and culture in the Union Territory.
“The government should ensure institutions should be artists and writers friendly. They had an institution i.e., Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages which has now been converted into a Society without consultation with the writers. The institutional work for the promotion of the languages, writers and artists has been adversely affected,” president, Dogri Sanstha, Prof Lalit Mangotra told Greater Kashmir.
Mangotra also said that “The senior writers had been advising the government we should have three separate institutions on the pattern of central government like Sahatiya Akademi, Sangeet Natak Akademi, and Lalit Kala Akademi to pay full attention to literature, fine arts, and performing arts. These institutions work independently in Delhi and the same pattern should be adopted in J&K or JKAACL should be trifurcated into three units for three academies one for Jammu, one for Kashmir, and one for Ladakh to promote local culture.”
He said that in the last several years the progress in literary work has not picked up to the expectation. Although the official website of JKAACL has claimed that they have assigned the role of Sahitya Akademy (Akademi of Letters), Sangeet Natak Akademi (Academy of Music, Dance and Drama) and Lalit Kala Akademi (Academy of Arts) to provide an integrated approach and inter-disciplinary cooperation and coordination between the three wings under one authority, the writers contest the claim saying that it was not possible to work under one authority as “Jammu and Kashmir’s regions have different cultures and thus, these institutions shall be given autonomy as three units in Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.”
UNDERSTAFFED ACADEMY
The translation cell (Translation and Research Centre) has three Dogri people including the Editor of the Dogri language, Dr Rattan Basotra, Karan Targotra (from the civil secretariat), and Yashpal Nirmal.
“They have been translating all the English orders of the J&K government into Dogri and Hindi languages since last year and uploading them on the websites,” a senior officer told Greater Kashmir.
He, however, said that the academy has vacant posts of Chief Editor and four research assistants while they were facing a shortage of staff from time to time starting 2010 up to 2017-18 with the retirement of the officials and that no new official has joined them.