Classroom and stage
Silbi Passah’s life joins two worlds: the classroom and the cultural stage. According to her official Padma citation, she was born on 3 March 1952 and lives in Shillong.
After qualifying as a Kovid in Hindi, she became a Hindi teacher in 1982 at the Khasi Jaintia National Government Upper Primary School, Mawkhar. Later, as a resource person for Sarva Shiksha Abhiyan and DERT, she trained teachers in art, craft, acting, dancing and singing.
A bridge between languages
She also worked on All India Radio Shillong’s “Hindi Lesson” programme, and in 2005 was part of preparing a Hindi–Khasi Contrastive Grammar at the Central Institute of Hindi, Agra.
For her, teaching a language was not one-way. Teaching Hindi well also meant understanding the Khasi language that her students brought with them.
Keeper of folk songs
In culture, she promoted Khasi-Jaintia folk songs, traditional instruments and dance forms through troupe performances and cultural festivals. Her citation describes her as the first woman of the Khasi community to produce a Hindi skit for Doordarshan Shillong.
The 2024 Padma Shri recognised her combined identity: teacher, trainer and keeper of culture.
Sources
- Padma Awards 2024: official citation
- PIB: Meghalaya profile
- Padma Awards 2024: notification
- padmaawards.gov.in/Document/pdf/CitationsForTickets/2024/202495.pdf
- pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=2020138
- padmaawards.gov.in/Document/pdf/notifications/PadmaAwards/2024.pdf