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For the love of Sindhi

Being the daughter of illustrious parents who made their mark in the Sindhi literary world, it's only natural for Asha Chand to carry on and preserve the language

IF ROBIN SHARMA, the well-known motivational guru, were to have met Asha Chand, he would have praised her as a clear leader due to her immense 'clarity of intent'.

To him, this attribute is the hallmark of any great leader. Asha’s life and her activities are guided by her clear passion to preserve the Sindhi language and she has been relentlessly engaged for almost a decade in pursuing her passion using creative methods and the entertainment media.

Being the daughter of illustrious parents who made their mark in the Sindhi literary world, Asha decided several years ago that she must take concrete steps to preserve the language. She believes that if the language fades away from this world, the loss is not just that of a community, but of entire humanity, for Sindhi was born in a land that gave rise to the oldest civilisation known to man – the Indus Valley civilisation.

In an interview, Asha tells City Times about her mission in life and her forthcoming entertainment programme 'jhankaar'

How did the passion of preserving the Sindhi language grow in you?

When I was young, my father insisted that I speak in my mother tongue, and I somewhat resisted this imposition, but as the years passed and I was fluent in both English and my very own native language, I realised the importance of having the wings of freedom and the roots of culture.

What initiatives have you taken over the years to preserve this language?

Every year, I organise a Sindhi entertainment programme which is either a drama by a famous production group such as S.P. Menghani or simply a music and dance extravaganza. To date, S.P. Menghani’s theatre group has staged 5 plays which have created quite an emotional appeal amongst audiences here. One of my early and most fulfilling initiative has been 'Let’s Learn Sindhi' CD which communicates in simple language how to read and write Sindhi in the original script.

Are you launching any initiatives in India?

Since the past one year, I have been engaged in India producing telefilms. These are aired on DD India Dish TV Number116 and can be watched everywhere in India as well as 146 countries across the globe. In the UAE, you can watch the Sindhi programme at 11.30am local time.

What are the themes that you portray in your telefilms?

I have delved on a variety of family themes. Right from the dilemma of Non Resident Indian (NRI) parents looking for a suitable groom for their daughter who has come of age to exploring the love and hate relationship between daughter in law and mother in law. These telefilms convey subtle messages of the Sindhi family culture.

Tell us about your forthcoming programme Jhankaar

'Jhankaar' marks my ninth annual entertainment event and promises to be an extravaganza of dance and music to everyone across all ages. The idea is to provide a platform for the youth of the community to showcase their talents to an appreciative audience. One rarely finds such opportunities where young talent can demonstrate their capabilities. Moreover it keeps them in touch with their language through music and songs. It gives them a feeling of belonging, instils them with a community spirit and teaches them the value of team work. Two Sindhi artistes are specially flying down to Dubai to sing at the event – one from India and the other from Pakistan. We have also invited two members of the Great Laughter Challenge in India. This is the first time that a standing comedy in Sindhi is being staged in Dubai.

How are you using the media to convey your message?