Mumbai, November 24, 2018
The British Council is celebrating its 70th anniversary here with three events, highlighting 70 words of Indian origin that are a part of the Oxford English Dictionary, the Mumbai Music Week and the Howard Hodgkin Exhibition.
For the past 70 years, the British Council has worked to connect people from Mumbai and the UK through the arts, sports and education.
While knowledge of the English language has played an integral role in helping young people from Maharashtra and across India to explore growth opportunities within the country and across the world, the focus on 70 Words of Indian origin that are a part of the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) signifies the great influence that India and its various languages have had on the English language.
Several Marathi-inspired words such as bhelpuri, palanquin (from the Marathi word ‘palki’), tank (from the Marathi word ‘tanki’), Doolally (a reference to Deolali military camp), Mongoose (from the Marathi word ‘mungus’) have been added to the dictionary, reflecting the long historical and cultural connections between India and the UK, the Council said in a press release.
These words from categories such as food, trade, society, religion and more, were added to the OED to facilitate greater understanding and appreciation of the various Indian languages among audiences in the UK and other English-speaking nations. It also underlines the extent of work that students, researchers, corporations and governments of both nations do together.
Announcing the launch of the programmes here on Thursday, Alan Gemmell, Director India, British Council, said, “There are many points of connection over the centuries in which people, ideas, language, goods and services have moved between Britain and India.
“The British Council has been one such point and - as we celebrate our 70th year, we are proud to say that we have been inspired by India every day of those 70 years and hope that in a small way, we inspire young people in both our countries to imagine what the next 70 years could be. Our 70 Words is a momentary reminder of the layers of connection and fluid nature of the English language,” he added.
“For the cashmere we drape and pyjamas we sleep in; the bangles we wear; the shampoo that cleans our hair; the cheetahs we watch whose speed we admire; and, the curry and kedgeree we might eat on a verandah - we thank the rich languages of India, and the people who have mixed and shared over the generations of those last four hundred years,” Gemmell said.
As a part of the celebrations, the Howard Hodgkin Exhibition opens on November 23 at CSMVS. This special exhibition inspired by the commissioned façade mural on the renowned, late Indian Architect Charles Correa’s British Council Delhi building.
The work was created by the late UK artist Howard Hodgkin, considered one of the greatest British painters of his time and has inspired the visual identity for the British Council’s 70th-anniversary celebrations.
Antony Peattie, music writer and Hodgkin's partner of 33 years, will deliver a talk explaining how Hodgkin’s work (his largest) made a statement about UK and India collaboration by bringing art and architecture together and went on to be regarded as a source of inspiration for both countries.
Mumbai Music Week, a music culture 'confluence’, will include conferences, workshops, performances, and social events by leading individuals belonging to the music industry in India and the UK.
Selector Pro, the British Council’s leading music conference and skill building platform, will be in India for the first time at Mumbai Music Week. It aims to create links between the UK and Indian industry and entrepreneurship, provide training and support for developing Indian musicians, managers and journalists and share professional expertise and showcase new talent from the UK.
Helen Silvester, Director- West India, British Council said, “It is our privilege to host singer-songwriter Eva Lazarus in Mumbai whose musical flavours span across genres from Reggae to Hip Hop, DnB to jungle.
“We are delighted to launch ‘Selector Pro’, a professional development forum for musicians and music producers in partnership with Homegrown which will be officially launched at Mumbai Music Week in January 2019.
“Eva’s performance also marks the introduction of Selector Pro for the first time in India. With initiatives like these, we hope to build cultural skills and connect people through access to creativity.”
Varun Patra, CMO & Co-founder, Homegrown, said, “We are excited to partner with British Council on our new property Mumbai Music Week and bring Selector Pro in all its glory to India for the first time.
“This collaboration kicks off with a showcase at the Dharavi Project and a full-blown capacity building conference at Mumbai Music Week in January 2019. Homegrown is looking forward to having the best industry leaders and culture shapers within the music industry of both countries coming together over 3 days at the Mumbai Music Week and find growth opportunities across the markets,” he added.
Among the list of the specially selected 70 words that are a part of the OED (Link: https://www.britishcouncil.org.in/70words) are bandana, bangle, churidar, cummerbund; pashmina; pyjamas; shawl (clothing & accessories), Bhelpuri, chutney, curry, dal, kedgeree, mulligatawny, raita (food); Chit, gymkhana, khaki, palanquin, polo, pukka, tiffin (high society and the state); Bungalow, chintz, cot, lacquer, shampoo, tank, veranda (house & home); Blighty, calico, cashmere, doolally, dungarees, Jodhpurs, jungle (people & places); Mandarin, mogul, pundit, purdah, Swami, thug, Yaar (people & society); Avatar, dharma, Guru, karma, mantra, nirvana, yoga (religion & spirituality).
The words also include atoll, catamaran, cowrie, dinghy, godown, gunny, jute (trade & the sea); Cheetah, langur, lilac, mongoose, myna, patchouli, teak, cheroot, choky, coir, cushy, loot, punch, Roti (miscellaneous).
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(Our News Desk can be contacted at desk@netindian.in)
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