Dec 11, 2024 07:50 IST
First published: December 11, 2024 at 07:50 IST
Bharatiya Bhasha Utsav, a week-long celebration from December 4, to celebrate our diverse linguistic heritage and to celebrate the birth anniversary of revered Mahakavi Subramaniam Bharati on December 11, is underway in all states and Union Territories. A few months ago on October 3, the Union Cabinet under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi made history by granting the status of classical languages to five languages namely Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese and Bengali. Thus expanding the category to include six other languages: Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Odia. An acknowledgment of India’s linguistic heritage, this development makes every person whose mother tongue is one of these languages extremely proud.
Linguistic pride is at the core of India’s civilization. According to Prime Minister Modi, all Indian languages are national languages, which are the soul of Indianness. Linguistic diversity strengthens national unity and helps achieve the goal of “Ek Bharat Shrestha Bharat”. So every one of our people must wear linguistic pride as a badge of honour. The PM also exemplified this on the global stage when he said, “I proudly speak the language of India even at the United Nations. If it takes some time for the audience to applaud, so be it. This assertion underscores his commitment to preserving India’s linguistic diversity and the value of linguistic pride.” highlights.
India is a land where multiple languages not only coexist but thrive. It is the living embodiment of the profound sublimity of multilingualism. Our linguistic diversity forms a rich, complex tapestry, nourishing the country’s unity and weaving together our national identity. This cultural power was destroyed under colonial rule. On February 2, 1835, Thomas Bebington Macaulay presented a memorandum known as “Macaulay’s Minutes on Indian Education”, with the aim of creating a class of Indians loyal to British interests, preferring English over mother tongues, to avoid alienation. generation from their cultural and linguistic roots.
80 percent of India’s population identify as non-English native speakers. The mother tongue lies at the heart of deep learning, because our languages are not just tools of communication – they are repositories of history, tradition and folklore, preserving the collective knowledge of generations and providing a unique worldview. Children full of creativity and emotional intelligence thrive when they begin their education in their mother tongue. A primer in their mother tongue creates a seamless bridge from home to classroom, guiding them from “mother tongue” to “other” language—from speaking to writing, from vocabulary to semantics, and from language to content. Rabindranath Tagore said, “A child learns to speak not from a textbook, but from its mother.”
Education in the mother tongue promotes a natural progression from basic understanding to complex thinking. India’s linguistic diversity is a treasure trove of both intellectual and cultural heritage. From the snow-capped peaks of Kashmir to the sun-drenched shores of Kanyakumari, and from the arid regions of Kutch to the verdant hills of Kohima, our languages capture the inner essence of our people. Educating children in their mother tongue not only preserves ties to heritage but also equips them for the future. By building a strong foundation in mother tongues, we can empower children to master other languages and subjects with greater ease and understanding.
The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 embraces this approach. Seeking to reclaim our linguistic heritage, the NEP places the mother tongue at the center of early education, recognizing that language is not just a learning tool but a key component in shaping identity, building confidence and promoting cognitive development.
NEP 2020 requires equitable access to high quality teaching and learning materials in various Indian languages for multiple learning outcomes. It lays strong emphasis on the fusion of technology with education, especially in the context of preserving and promoting the nation’s diverse linguistic heritage. There have been concerted efforts to create a strong ecosystem for the promotion of Indian languages to make education inclusive – the Bhasha Sangam programme; Machine Translation Center of the National Council for Educational Research and Training; Prakashini app-based translation of books including technical books in several Indian languages by the All India Council of Technical Education; Enhancing study materials in Indian languages through the Translation and Academic Writing (ASMITA) initiative by the University Grants Commission and Indian Language Committee.
Moreover, the government’s groundbreaking initiative to produce primers in 79 Indian languages is an important step, ensuring that children in rural, tribal and remote areas receive quality education in their mother tongues in their early years. These primers, along with other educational materials, are more than just resources—they are gateways to creativity, critical thinking, and lifelong learning.
Language shapes our thoughts, expresses our feelings and connects us to our cultural roots. NEP 2020 ushers in a new era, where children can learn in their mother tongue and gradually learn other languages. By decolonizing our education system, we seek to nurture a generation of thinkers who will champion not only academically but also India’s rich cultural heritage. This transformation is not just a policy change – it represents a cultural renaissance.
As we look to the future, India’s linguistic diversity will be the cornerstone of educational excellence and socio-cultural and economic progress. In this amrut period, as we pursue the Developed India agenda, our mother tongues are poised to become powerful vehicles of development. As India ascends the global stage, let us make our linguistic heritage the basis of our progress.
the author He is the Union Minister of Education. Views are personal