India is a country of many languages, many religions, many ethnic groups. From time to time the political elite have manipulated in religion and ethnicity to create both regional anmd national movements. Some of these movements are cohensive and others are divisive. All three of them are highly emotionally surcharged and when linked up with one another or with economic issues they have serious consequences for the political cohension of the country.

Any languages planning efforts must cater to the two apparently contradictory poles of small group identity and national integration. Whether it is the choice of a language, a dialect or a style to be used in education, administration and mass communication or the adaptation of a script to a hitherto unwritten language, it may generate a concern among people which might create a movement. A movement is not always rational. It does not necessarily start because the use of a language is forbidden or the use or non-use of a language oppresses. Sometimes assumed oppression and imaginary handicaps may also create a movement. Therefore monitering sentiments and reactions and measuring effects of various planned and unplanned action are a continious process for an institution engaged in language planning.

It is in the context that the Central Institute of Indian Languages called specialists from different parts of the country and organised a seminar on language movements. The papers presented in this seminar not only relate language movement to the socio-economic changes taking place in the country but also link them up with elite formation.

With the creation of the new rural elite sometimes coming in conflict with the urban elite, the nature of language movements is yet to be absorbed and studied.

If these papers create a new awareness, then our efforts would be rewarded.

( D. P. PATTANAYAK )