Tripura:KokBorok Gets its rightful place in the Airport and Beyond

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Kokborok is the tribal language of Tripura which is spoken by the indigenous people of the State and the language got a major fillip when the ministry of civil aviation made all flight-related announcements at the Agartala airport in the language.

Civil aviation minister Ashok Gajapathi Raju informed Choudhury in a letter on Monday that besides Hindi, English and Bengali, all flight-related announcements would be made in Kokborok at Agartala airport for effective communication with more than 30% of the tribal population in the state.

"Announcements on flight-related information will be made in Kokborok language at Agartala airport in addition to the present broadcast in Hindi, English and Bengali. The move was decided after the issue was raised in the budget session in March," the letter said.

Maharaja Bir Bikram built the Singerbhil Airport in the early 1940's

The Agartala Airport which is the gateway to the state of Tripura has long been a emotional issue between the different communities in the state with the indigenous tribals demanding the Airport be named after Maharaja Bir Bikram who built the airport in the early forties.However a resolution proposed by Congress legislator Sudip Roy Barman was accepted by the Chief Minister Manik Sarkar to name the Airport after Rabindranath Tagore leading to protests from the regional parties and the Royal Family.

The matter despite being passed in the Assembly has remained in abeyance for over 5 years .

This move by the aviation ministry is a demand raised by various tribal groups that Kok Borok be given its due recognition in the state.