Department of Khasi

Introduction

Earlier in the absence of a permanent campus of its own, Khasi and other subjects were taught since 1967, when the institute started under the name of Commerce College, in the Islamia High School building in Police Bazar Shillong night section. After Shillong Commerce College, was founded on the 1.05.1986, that the teachers shifted to the new campus. At that time, Khasi as an Modern Indian Language was part of the curriculum but it was not a full-fledged department yet and the subject was taught by one permanent teacher. Also, there were only a handful of students attending the college during this initial period. It is with gratitude that we acknowledge the efforts of Shri. D. Mukhim who taught the subject and looked after all matters relating to it. After the retirement of Shri D. Mukhim in 2014, Shri P. Nongrum was appointed in 2015.

In the year 2019, Shillong Commerce College established the Arts section and with it the completion of the Khasi Department. During this period, the members included the HOD, Asst Professor Pynjopthiaw Nongrum, and two other Asst Prof -Nunu Khongpdah and Badahunshisha Jana. After the resignation of Asst Professor Badahunshisha Jana in August 2021, the college recruited two new faculty members Hamles M. Umlong and Maybecall Jane Marbaniang. In 2022, Magiona Kharbani joined the department as a permanent and Rilin Gemma Lyngdoh joined as a part-time teacher respectively.

One can argue that one’s language is important not only for the act of communication but also for the formation of one’s identity and the continued existence of one’s culture. It is imperative that one must embrace one’s native language and live with it. Hence, the Khasi department aims also at inculcating a sense of pride and love for the Khasi language among its students and the society as well.