Anzer Ayoob

We started this initiative to preserve our languages because people have almost forgotten them.

Anzer Ayoob is a journalist and author known for his significant contributions to language preservation and news reporting. He serves as the Editor-in-chief of The Chenab Times, a multimedia news website with a focus on preserving regional languages.

Quotes

• "We started this initiative to preserve our languages because people have almost forgotten them," explained Anzer Ayoob, the founder of The Chenab Times.
  • In an interview with Frontline in an article published on 18 May 2022.

• Language, often underestimated as a mere tool for communication, holds within it the essence of a community's history, values, and identity. In the case of the Chenab Valley, local languages are not just a medium of everyday conversation; they are the conduits through which the region's intricate tapestry of culture and tradition has been woven over centuries. These languages encapsulate the wisdom of generations, the stories of heroes and heroines, and the collective memory of its people.
  • Anzer Ayoob emphasized this in his editorial about Reviving Local Languages: A Lifeline for Chenab Valley's Fading Heritage and Culture on Kashmir Observer (16 September 2023).

Quotes about Anzer Ayoob

• In January 2017, 23-year-old Anzer Ayoob, the editor-in-chief of the news website, initiated this portal that would publish news in Urdu and English. However, after the parliament passed the Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Bill – which made Hindi, Kashmiri, and Dogri the official languages of the Union Territory – locals in the valley felt side-lined and ignored.
  • This was highlighted by Tarushi Aswani in "‘A Way to Reclaim Our Identity’: How ‘The Chenab Times’ Is Using News to Preserve Dying Languages" in The Wire (24 April 2022).

• Anzer Ayoob's significant contribution to language preservation and news reporting is evident in his efforts to produce news in Sarazi and Bhaderwahi, the two main local languages of the Chenab valley in Jammu's Doda district. As the editor-in-chief of The Chenab Times, the 23-year-old is playing a vital role in preserving these lesser-known languages.
  • Safwat Zargar acknowledged this in "Making headlines: A news site in J&K is putting out daily bulletins in lesser-known languages" on Scroll.in (19 April 2022).