Tura, August 30: Meghalaya’s only Garo language daily, Salantini Janera, celebrated its Silver Jubilee (2000–2025) with a grand event at Hotel Polo Orchid in Tura on Saturday, with Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma lauding the daily for its resilience, credibility and unwavering commitment to journalism over the past quarter-century. The milestone celebration also brought together, probably for the first time in recent history, the three political leaders of Garo Hills- Chief Minister Conrad K. Sangma, Member of Parliament Saleng A Sangma, and Leader of the Opposition Dr. Mukul M Sangma.
Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, the chief guest, praised the Janera publication for its consistency in bringing out the daily every single day for the past 25 years despite numerous challenges, and also reflected on his late father P.A. Sangma’s unsuccessful attempt to sustain a Garo newspaper for the youth, Chadambeni Ku’rang, during a time of multiple constraints and challenges.
“Credibility is your greatest strength,” he said, emphasizing Salantini Janera newspaper’s role in maintaining public trust in an era of social media where misinformation often overshadows truth.
The chief minister also highlighted new challenges faced by the media worldwide, including declining print readership and the rise of digital platforms, but praised the newspaper for retaining its identity and trust with readers. He noted that the role of a media is to highlight concerns and act as a watchdog, even if that sometimes creates friction with the governments.
Highlighting the importance of linguistic diversity, the Chief Minister announced plans to make Khasi and Garo languages mandatory in schools to foster basic communication skills among citizens. He also expressed hope for the inclusion of Khasi and Garo in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution, urging collective support to achieve this goal.
The celebration of the silver jubilee was an event that symbolized unity, with leaders from different political affiliations sharing the stage. “We may belong to different parties, but our goal is the same—the welfare of Garo Hills and Meghalaya,” Conrad Sangma noted, advocating for mutual respect and accountability between the media and political leaders.
Joining the celebrations, Saleng A Sangma, the Tura MP, described the occasion as an “honor” and called Salantini Janera a “movement” for preserving the Garo language and culture. He highlighted the neglect of Northeast languages in national discourse, noting that while 22 languages are recognized in the Constitution, Garo remains excluded despite its rich literature. He urged for competitive exams like IAS and IPS to be conducted in local languages to provide equal opportunities for tribal communities.
Dr. Mukul Sangma, Leader of the Opposition, hailed the newspaper’s 25-year journey as a “historic milestone.” He underscored the press’s role as a democratic watchdog, ensuring accountability and empowering citizens. He also called for improved media infrastructure in Garo Hills, emphasizing the integration of technology and radio to enhance accessibility while cautioning against the dangers of misinformation.
Shri Manas Chaudhuri, Proprietor of The Shillong Times, described the jubilee as historic for its longevity and for uniting leaders across the political spectrum. He traced the newspaper’s evolution from an eight-page black-and-white weekly in the 1990s to a vibrant four-page color daily, with plans for full-color expansion. He recalled an interaction with the late Purno A Sangma, father of Chief Minister Conrad K Sangma, who was the first to point out to him the popularity of Janera when it was a fledgling weekly vernacular. Late P A Sangma, during campaigns and tours to the interiors of Garo Hills, had noticed people flocking around to catch a glimpse of the newspaper and many times villagers would sit under the shade of a tree holding a copy of the Janera paper.
Chaudhuri announced an annual ₹20,000 award for the top-scoring student in Garo at MBOSE, reinforcing the newspaper’s commitment to education and language preservation. “As the only Garo daily in the world, Salantini Janera bridges the government and the people,” he said, encouraging readers to use the platform to voice their concerns.
To mark the occasion, awards and citations were presented to several schools of Garo Hills for their exemplary performance in the annual state exams of the Meghalaya Board of School Education. (PTI)
