Students given recognition for excellence in Ao vernacular

[caption id="attachment_279957" align="aligncenter" width="600"] Jemtimenba Mollier, 5th from left, along with awardees at the 1st JMF meritorious award for excellence in Ao literature, on Oct. 26 in Mokokchung.[/caption] Our Correspondent Mokokchung, Oct.28 (EMN): The 1st Jemtimenba Mollier Foundation (JMF) meritorious award for excellence in Ao literature was conducted on October 26 in Mokokchung. Eight scholars were honoured with cash prizes and certificates during the occasion. Two students who scored the highest marks in the Ao dialect during the 2019 Nagaland Board of School Education examinations were awarded cash prizes and certificates. The students are Nokzenketer, a class X student of Mount Moriah School in Ungma, and Longjana, a class XII student of Clark Memorial hr. sec. school in Impur. The Foundation also gave recognition to first position holders of the Ao proficiency examination that was conducted by the Ao Senden literature board.  The winners of the JMF awards are Purtemjen Jamir, Temsujungla and Tzuwazenla. The JMF also conducted a spelling competition, in the Ao dialect. Only those aged 30 years and over were allowed to participate. Temsujungla bagged the first prize, while I Zulu Imsong and Pangernungla bagged the second and third prizes, in that order. The sponsor of the Foundation Jemti Mollier, a philanthropist, exhorted the gathering to love, speak, write and promote Ao dialect. He assured to wholeheartedly contribute to the development of Ao literature. The Ao Senden’s general secretary, Imtipokyim, spoke at the event too. He emphasised the importance of the mother tongue. He said the Ao dialect is a collective treasure for the Ao community for which it should be ‘cherished.’ Prominent leaders from different organizations in Mokokchung town, Ao language teachers from schools, and village leaders from Ungma, Khensa, Mokokchung and Chuchuyimpang villages also attended the programme. The JMF was founded in 2014, to promote Ao literature. Since its foundation, the JMF had been conducting different programmes like seminars, essay and quiz competitions, spelling competitions, and symposiums among others.