Australian Prof siphons off nearly 2 crore under ‘fake’ documentation

Australian Prof siphons off nearly 2 crore under ‘fake’ documentation

HNS/IMPHAL, Oct 14: In an embarrassing revelation, a serving Professor in Department of Linguistics of University of Oregon, Australia identified as Scott De Lancy has allegedly fetched a financial reward of $ 300, 000 from National Science Foundation (NSF), an NGO based in Australia by claiming to have done a documentation on Monsang language of Monsang tribe.

Informing this in a press meet here at Manipur Press Club, Dr Thokchom Chandramani, convener of Centre for Tribal & Endangered Language clarified that documentation on Mongsang language had been already done by Centre for Tribal & Endangered Languages Promotion Board (CTELPB); Tribal Research Institute (TRI) and Linguistic Department, Manipur University. He contended that Prof De Lancy just reproduced the Mongsang language which is included under Sino-Tibetan language and dismissed the conclusion made by the professor in his documentation that the Mongsang language had perished 4,000 years back and that the language grammar is closely related with Chinese language.

Maintaining that the language was put under 11 Five Years Plan for its development after conducting an extensive survey under Language Endangered Programme, Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL) of Ministry of Human Resource Development, he informed media persons that Prof De Lancy had claimed to have done his research work in collaboration with Endangered Language s Committee, an organization based in Chandel district and Manipur University.

However, when investigated it came to light that there is no organization in the name of Endangered Languages Committee in Chandel district. Even Prof Ch Yashwanta of Linguistic Department, MU was also clueless about the claim made by Prof De Lancy, he narrated.  

He stated that HRD; CIIL; Ministry of Home Affairs; concerned Joint Secretaries of Higher Education and Linguistic Department of MU have been urged to investigate the unwarranted documentation on Mongsang language as claimed by Prof De Lancy.