Gandhinagar (Gujarat) [India], February 21 : Gujarat Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel on Friday called upon citizens to preserve and promote their mother tongue and cultural heritage while leading the state towards a 'Viksit Gujarat' in line with the vision of a 'Viksit Bharat', asserting that pride in one's mother tongue is the true expression of Indian culture.
During the celebration of International Mother Language Day, Chief Minister Shri Bhupendra Patel stated that respecting other languages while taking pride in one's mother tongue is the true expression of our culture.
In this context, he said that our mother tongue begins with (a) and culminates at (jny), symbolising --knowledge. He further said that the deepest emotions of the heart can truly be expressed only through such profound understanding of one's mother tongue. CM further emphasised that preserving our language and culture and passing them on to the next generation is the need of the hour.
Chief Minister was addressing the gathering during the Sahitya Gaurav Puraskar event Matrubhasha Mahotsav organised by the Gujarat Sahitya Academy in Gandhinagar on the eve of International Mother Language Day in the presence of Minister of State for Sports, Youth Services and Cultural Activities Dr Jayram Gamit.
Referring to Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's statement that "There is no match for Mother, Motherland, and Mother Tongue," CM said that anyone who takes pride in their mother tongue is a matter of pride for him.
On this occasion, CM presented the Sahitya Gaurav Puraskar for the year 2024 to Pravin Darji for the Gujarati language and Mavji Maheshwari for the Kutchi language.
In the context of the Yuva Gaurav Puraskar, awarded by the Gujarat Sahitya Academy to young writers and litterateurs, Ajay Soni and Dipak Nanda were awarded for their contributions to Gujarati and Kutchi literature, respectively, for the year 2024.

Describing the mother tongue as a symbol of collective identity and self-respect, the Chief Minister said that the Prime Minister has instilled this sense of pride among the people through the Somnath Swabhiman Parv and through sustained efforts to revive heritage and culture.
He also highlighted the special place accorded to culture, language, and knowledge traditions in Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi's vision of Viksit Bharat@ 2047.
CM urged all language and literature enthusiasts, writers, and citizens to contribute by preserving and promoting language and culture, and to take the lead in building a Viksit Gujarat for a Viksit Bharat
.
On this occasion, Chairman of the Gujarat Sahitya Academy, Bhagyesh Jha, delivered the welcome address to the Chief Minister and the dignitaries present.
During the event, the Gujarat Sahitya Academy also published as many as 51 books simultaneously.
The event was attended by the Secretary of the Sports, Youth, and Cultural Activities Department, Dr. Rahul Gupta, Registrar of the Gujarat Sahitya Academy, Dr Jayendrasinh Jadav, renowned poet and writer Madhav Ramanuj, Music artists Shyamal-Saumil Munshi and Sushri Aarti Munshi, as well as Tusharbhai Shukla and folk singer Kirtidan Gadhvi, along with a large number of writers, language lovers, and literature enthusiasts.