Opinion: To bridge the language divide, nation must adopt a new script
5 years, 9 months ago

Opinion: To bridge the language divide, nation must adopt a new script

Live Mint  

In September 2012, I presided over the media session of the ninth World Hindi Conference in Johannesburg, attended by Hindi lovers from across the world. In his speech, Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyar said nothing can feel as good as a day when a person from Bihar arrives in a village in Tamil Nadu and people there ask him in Hindi, “Bhai kaise ho?” In the same manner, if a Tamilian goes to a village in Bihar and he is asked, “Neeng epdi irikel?” There are two reasons why I still remember those moments. Hindi-speaking states had to teach some Indian language besides Hindi and in non-Hindi speaking states, Hindi was to be taught besides English and the local or regional language. It felt good to hear that if Russia, China, France or Germany could progress without English, why can’t India grow with Hindi. According to the previous data, the number of people speaking Hindi, Odiya and Assamese in southern regions has increased by 33%.

Language Tamil Nadu English Indian Tamil Languages Hindi Bangla  languages  hindi  script  hindispeakers  language  adopt  bridge  english  tamil  nation  number  country  divide  opinion  aiyar  good

History of this topic

'Language Not For Hating, Learn As Many As Possible': Chandrababu Naidu Says Amid Language Row
2 weeks, 2 days ago

'Language Not For Hating, Learn As Many As Possible': Chandrababu Naidu Says Amid Language Row

ABP News  

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, while speaking on the ongoing language row, said Hindi and English both have their uses and should be learnt. The Andhra CM taking a conciliatory note on the language row said that a language is only for communication and people learn multiple languages for livelihood. Naidu underscored that it is important to learn as …

Never opposed Hindi as a language but only opposed making it compulsory: Pawan Kalyan
2 weeks, 4 days ago

Never opposed Hindi as a language but only opposed making it compulsory: Pawan Kalyan

The Hindu  

Jana Sena Party president and Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister K. Pawan Kalyan said in a post on X on Saturday that imposing a language forcibly or opposing a language blindly doesn’t help in achieving the objective of national and cultural integration of Bharat. Mr. Pawan Kalyan claimed that he had never opposed Hindi as a language but only opposed …

Is learning Hindi as a third language necessary?
2 weeks, 6 days ago

Is learning Hindi as a third language necessary?

The Hindu  

The National Education Policy, 2020, encourages students up to at least Class 5 to learn a regional language in addition to the local language or mother tongue and English. While the Central government asserts that the choice of the additional regional language is left to the States, the NEP’s strong pitch for the three-language formula has led to fear, especially …

The Politics of Language: Hindi Imposition, Tamil Resistance, and India’s Linguistic Diversity
2 weeks, 6 days ago

The Politics of Language: Hindi Imposition, Tamil Resistance, and India’s Linguistic Diversity

The Hindu  

Published : Mar 13, 2025 13:54 IST - 5 MINS READ Though I was born in Muzaffarpur, Bihar, I grew up abroad and was fluent in English before I was in Hindi. She and our three children in their early years spoke to one another in Assamese though they also became proficient in Hindi since we lived in Delhi. Stalin …

Andhra's Nara Lokesh breaks ranks with neighbours: Hindi imposition won't happen
3 weeks, 4 days ago

Andhra's Nara Lokesh breaks ranks with neighbours: Hindi imposition won't happen

India Today  

Andhra Pradesh IT and Human Resources Development Minister Nara Lokesh dismissed fears of Hindi imposition, stating that India’s linguistic diversity would prevent any such move. When I met the Education Minister, he was more focused on promoting Telugu as the medium of instruction in the state," Lokesh said, adding that the NDA government had shown trust in strengthening mother tongues. …

'I learnt Hindi to take on Modi', says Revanth Reddy amid language row
3 weeks, 5 days ago

'I learnt Hindi to take on Modi', says Revanth Reddy amid language row

India Today  

Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy strongly opposed the imposition of Hindi, stating that the language should remain an option rather than being forced upon people. Speaking at the India Today Conclave 2025, Reddy criticised the BJP-led central government’s push for Hindi, arguing that linguistic diversity should be respected and preserved. Don’t force Hindi on us,” Reddy said, questioning the …

ThinkEdu Conclave 2025: Learning 3 languages essential in today’s times, says RSS Joint Gen Secy
2 months ago

ThinkEdu Conclave 2025: Learning 3 languages essential in today’s times, says RSS Joint Gen Secy

New Indian Express  

CHENNAI: Though the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh has no official stance on a two-language or three-language policy, it is of the view that modern times necessitate learning at least three languages: one’s mother tongue, a regional language, and a career language, said Mukunda CR, RSS Joint General Secretary here on Monday. In conversation with Ravi Shankar, Consulting Editor of The Sunday …

Shah: Hindi has an unbreakable bond with every Indian language
6 months, 2 weeks ago

Shah: Hindi has an unbreakable bond with every Indian language

Hindustan Times  

Hindi shares an “unbreakable bond” with local languages and there can never be a competition between Indian languages, Union home minister Amit Shah said on Saturday as he extended greetings for Hindi Diwas. Emphasising the connection between Hindi and all Indian languages, Shah said the country’s progress is intertwined with the enrichment of these languages. The official language Hindi has …

Hindi has unbreakable relationship with every Indian language, says Amit Shah
6 months, 2 weeks ago

Hindi has unbreakable relationship with every Indian language, says Amit Shah

The Hindu  

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday said there is no competition between the official language Hindi and other Indian languages rather they are friends and complement each other. The Home Minister said under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a lot of work has been done to strengthen Hindi and local languages in the last 10 years. Mr. …

Hindi should be generally accepted as the language of work with consensus: Shah
6 months, 3 weeks ago

Hindi should be generally accepted as the language of work with consensus: Shah

The Hindu  

Union Home Minister Amit Shah was unanimously re-elected the Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Official Language on Monday, the Ministry of Home Affairs said. “We should take care that the speakers of any local language do not have an inferiority complex and that Hindi is generally accepted as the language of work with consensus and agreement,” he said. New …

Just Like That | India is a linguistic and cultural treasure trove, a thousand tongues bind us
1 year, 3 months ago

Just Like That | India is a linguistic and cultural treasure trove, a thousand tongues bind us

Hindustan Times  

India has the second largest number of languages in the world: 740. However, after 15 years, with the continuing opposition of non-Hindi speaking states, the Official Languages Act of 1963 allowed English to continue indefinitely until legislation to the contrary. Some people consider Urdu to be the language of Muslims, and only a pure Hindi devoid of Urdu words is …

Hindi is not in competition with local languages: Amit Shah
1 year, 7 months ago

Hindi is not in competition with local languages: Amit Shah

The Hindu  

Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Friday, August 4, 2023 that Hindi must be finally accepted without opposition, even if the pace of acceptance is slow. Mr. Shah said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has encouraged the promotion of “Panch Pran”, which includes respect for heritage and erasing the signs of colonialism. Respect local languages He said that respect for …

Hindi Diwas 2022: Amid New Row by HDK, News18 Reads into Politics Over World's 3rd Most Spoken Language
2 years, 6 months ago

Hindi Diwas 2022: Amid New Row by HDK, News18 Reads into Politics Over World's 3rd Most Spoken Language

News 18  

The controversy over Hindi imposition is back in news in Karnataka as JDS leader and former CM HD Kumaraswamy after writting a letter to Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Monday and urging his government not to celebrate ‘Hindi Diwas’ by utilising the taxpayers’ money has now called for protest against the Hindi Diwas. Ajay Devgn Vs Kiccha Sudeep The …

Shunning a language
2 years, 9 months ago

Shunning a language

The Hindu  

It is not unusual for private schools to enforce the English-only rule on their students and teachers. “To encourage the usage of English language among students in order to enhance the related skills” — that typical response obviously does not apply here. In truth, a good chunk of the State’s population considers its regional language to be “coarse” and “crude” …

Centre's aggressive push for Hindi as North-East India's 'link language' threatens to expose ethnic fault lines
2 years, 10 months ago

Centre's aggressive push for Hindi as North-East India's 'link language' threatens to expose ethnic fault lines

The Hindu  

North-eastern India is a linguistic mosaic, with over 400 different languages spoken in the region. Dr Banani Chakravarty said a section of the Assamese elite, while asserting Assamese linguistic aspiration, encouraged the “otherisation” of Tibeto-Burman language speakers. “A section of the Assamese power elite assumes that it is essential for Tibeto-Burman language speakers and speakers of ‘minor languages’ to know …

Those who speak Hindi are selling panipuri, says Tamil Nadu minister Ponmudy
2 years, 10 months ago

Those who speak Hindi are selling panipuri, says Tamil Nadu minister Ponmudy

India Today  

Tamil Nadu’s higher education minister, Ponmudy, while addressing a convocation event at Bharathiar university, Coimbatore, said that English is more valuable than Hindi as a language, claiming those who speak Hindi are engaged in menial jobs. While addressing students of Coimbatore’s Bharathiar University, Tamil Nadu higher education minister, Ponmudy, promised to implement beneficial aspects of the National Education Policy 2020, …

DC EDIT | India has many languages
2 years, 11 months ago

DC EDIT | India has many languages

Deccan Chronicle  

The exchange between a Kannada and a Hindi film star on the popularity of their language was just another in a series of discussions on national languages that tend to go nowhere because of the complexity and numbers of India. It appears the reach of regional films in today’s high-tech environment is getting longer adding weight to the argument that …

Hindi Imposition Debate: Not Everyone’s Speaking the Same Language Here - News18
2 years, 11 months ago

Hindi Imposition Debate: Not Everyone’s Speaking the Same Language Here - News18

News 18  

“I can’t learn Hindi for your convenience; learn Tamil if you want!” Tamil superstar Thalapathy Vijay’s dialogue in his latest movie, Beast, has set the tone once again for the already raging “Hindi imposition” controversy in the country. All this furore on speaking Hindi and its imposition began after Union Home minister Amit Shah’s comment that Hindi should be accepted …

Is one language enough?
4 years, 6 months ago

Is one language enough?

The Hindu  

While negotiating independence from Dutch colonial rule, Indonesian nationalists decided that a reformed version of Malay would become the official language. Debates in the Constituent Assembly In contrast, the issue of adopting a national language could not be resolved when the Constituent Assembly began drafting India’s Constitution. On the one side were members from the Hindi-speaking provinces who moved a …

Is BJP playing language tune to woo Tamils?
5 years, 5 months ago

Is BJP playing language tune to woo Tamils?

Deccan Chronicle  

CHENNAI: Some recent developments both within the country and abroad have raised the poser in political circles here whether the BJP and the Prime Minister, Mr. Narendra Modi is taking the language route to win the Tamil hearts. Even as saffron parties have opined that the anti-Hindi outbursts by the Dravidian parties attacking the imposition of Hindi by the Centre, …

Hindi push assault on diversity, India’s spirit
5 years, 6 months ago

Hindi push assault on diversity, India’s spirit

Deccan Chronicle  

On Hindi Divas, when Union home minister and BJP president Amit Shah gave an impassioned speech about the “need of our country to have one language, so that foreign languages don’t find a place”, one wonders why he use ‘languages’ in plural! Dr Syama Prasad Mookerjee, the founder of the Jan Sangh, which was the BJP’s predecessor, favoured Hindi but …

Tamil Nadu leaders decry Amit Shah’s pitch for Hindi
5 years, 6 months ago

Tamil Nadu leaders decry Amit Shah’s pitch for Hindi

The Hindu  

Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s statement on Saturday, on the occasion of Hindi Divas, that Hindi should be India’s common and unifying language came in for sharp criticism from Tamil Nadu political leaders and the BJP’s own allies. Stalin said making Hindi as the national language would make non-Hindi speaking people the secondary citizen and undermine the unity. Dravidar Kazhagam …

Hindi should become third language in the south for economic advantages it provides, not through patronage or propaganda
5 years, 9 months ago

Hindi should become third language in the south for economic advantages it provides, not through patronage or propaganda

Firstpost  

After attempts were made to replace English with Hindi as the link or bridge language to unify the nation, there was a massive backlash from the south and the Indira Gandhi-led government introduced amendments to the Official Languages Act, 1963. Amid objections over Hindi being made a compulsory language in all non-Hindi speaking states, the Ministry of Human Resource Development …

The Joy of Conversing in Bengali to a Fellow ‘Bangali’
7 years, 7 months ago

The Joy of Conversing in Bengali to a Fellow ‘Bangali’

The Quint  

Bengal, a place of utmost historical relevance to every Indian. But Bengali, the language that we speak, remained one of the world’s sweetest languages. Today, unfortunately, many of us have made career choices that have compelled us to be on other shores, but Bengali to a ‘Bangali’ is a comfort language. My parting question is: How many of the people …

Much furore over language?
7 years, 8 months ago

Much furore over language?

Deccan Chronicle  

While the entire nation is reeling under the imposition of Hindi, Indians living in London, UK, seem to have taken the language battles to another new level! Oscar-award winning composer AR Rahman and his team, including sisters AR Reihana, Isshrathquadhre, as well as singers Benny Dayal, Haricharan, Jonita Gandhi, and Neeti Mohan performed at the ‘Netru Indru Naalai’ concert last …

Impossible for India to progress without Hindi: Venkaiah Naidu
7 years, 9 months ago

Impossible for India to progress without Hindi: Venkaiah Naidu

Deccan Chronicle  

Ahmadabad: In the event of anti-Hindi backlash being witnessed across the country, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday said Hindi is the national language of India and it is impossible to progress without the language. "Hindi is our national language and it is impossible for India to progress without Hindi. "Since majority of the population speaks Hindi, it is …

PIL wants Hindi must for schools
7 years, 11 months ago

PIL wants Hindi must for schools

Deccan Chronicle  

New Delhi: The Supreme Court has been moved for a direction to the Centre to make study of Hindi compulsory for all students of Classes I-VIII, so that all the Indian citizens can easily communicate with each other. In his PIL BJP member Ashwini Kumar Upadhyaya said it will promote fraternity, unity and national integration, the great golden goals as …

‘Centre against imposition of Hindi’
8 years, 6 months ago

‘Centre against imposition of Hindi’

The Hindu  

: Minister of State Kiren Rijiju said the government was against imposing Hindi on other regional languages like Tamil, Kannada or Telugu, and the Centre will continue to promote Hindi as it was the official language as envisaged in the Constitution. ‘Hindi is official language’ In an interview to The Hindu, Mr. Rijiju said that Hindi and English have become …

Efforts on to develop all official languages: Rajnath Singh
10 years, 8 months ago

Efforts on to develop all official languages: Rajnath Singh

India TV News  

New Delhi: All efforts will be made to encourage national language and the government directs various departments from time to time to enhance use of Hindi, the Lok Sabha was informed today. Home Minister Rajnath Singh said there is no reason for the government not to encourage the use of Hindi in official work and it is making efforts to …

Treat all languages equally, save linguistic diversity
10 years, 9 months ago

Treat all languages equally, save linguistic diversity

Firstpost  

All languages in this country should be treated as equal and state government should get the freedom to decide in what language they want to interact with central government instead of limiting option to just two languages. By Kanva While Modi is free to talk in whatever language he wishes to, at the same time his government should ensure that …

Learn Hindi, students told
11 years, 6 months ago

Learn Hindi, students told

The Hindu  

South Central Railway Vijayawada Division Raja Basha Officer N. Chiranjeevi has advised the students to learn ‘Hindi’ language, which was much in use in majority of the States. Speaking at a programme organised in connection with ‘Hindi Dinotsav’, at Kakaraparti Bhavanarayana College here on Saturday, he said that Hindi was the most popular language after English in the world. ‘The …

‘Think rationally about learning Hindi and it will make sense’
12 years, 6 months ago

‘Think rationally about learning Hindi and it will make sense’

The Hindu  

I have seen some of the criticism in The Hindu to my article “ >Required, two tongues ”. However, I would like to give my response: I have said that I am totally opposed to the imposition of Hindi in Tamil Nadu, or anywhere else for that matter. After my speech an elderly gentleman got up and said that Tamilians …

Discover Related