I have noticed that some influential individuals occupying very high positions in society, including eminent lawyers, judges and other public figures, occasionally express opinions about language that deserve serious reconsideration.
From their influential positions, sometimes sitting in Delhi, they raise questions such as:
"Why can't one Indian language become the common language for all Indians? Why should we continue to depend on English? Why should we hold on to the language of our former colonial rulers?"
They sometimes present these arguments as though replacing English with one Indian language would automatically strengthen national unity.
But I have a different perspective.
Here is what I believe.
India is not a monolingual country, nor has it ever been one.
What we call India today is a vast subcontinent with a long history of different kingdoms, cultures, civilizations and hundreds of languages. Many political territories rose and disappeared over centuries, each with its own linguistic and cultural identity.
No land can legitimately belong to only one language-speaking community. India is no exception.
After independence, India reorganized its states largely along linguistic lines, recognizing the importance of linguistic identity and diversity.
I sometimes feel that arguments against English are indirectly being used to promote Hindi as a common language for all Indians. If that is the intention, I respectfully disagree.
In Tamil Nadu, we speak Tamil as our mother tongue. We also use English as a link language to communicate with people across India and the rest of the world.
Similarly, people in Andhra Pradesh speak Telugu, Kerala-Malayalam, Karnataka -Kannada, Punjab-Punjabi etc, while English helps them communicate beyond their linguistic boundaries.
Hindi-speaking states can follow the same principle: preserve Hindi as their mother tongue and use English as a common bridge to communicate with other linguistic communities.
That is equality. That is linguistic freedom. That is social justice.
Why should people in non-Hindi-speaking states be expected to learn Hindi as a compulsory means of communication when a mutually accessible language like English already serves that purpose?
English Belongs to the World, Not Just to the British.
There is another important point we must understand.
English can no longer be viewed as the exclusive property of the British or merely as a language left behind by colonial rulers.
Look at countries such as the United States, where people from diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds live together. Many families continue to speak their ancestral languages at home while using English to communicate with the wider society.
People from different linguistic backgrounds contribute to science, medicine, technology, literature and research, often sharing their knowledge with the world through English.
They do not have to abandon their mother tongues to become part of the global knowledge community.
Why should we think differently?
English has gradually evolved into an international language that connects people across continents. It is a major language of scientific communication, technological development, medical education, international research and global cooperation.
It provides access to an enormous world of knowledge, including books written by researchers and experts from different countries and linguistic backgrounds.
Countries such as China, Russia and Germany continue to preserve their own languages while recognizing the practical importance of English in international communication.
Therefore, I see no reason to regard English as merely the language of the colonial rulers who once governed us.
A language does not belong exclusively to the people who originally spoke it. Its value also lies in how humanity uses it to share knowledge and progress together.
English is increasingly becoming a bridge between humanity, crossing geographical, cultural and linguistic boundaries.
My Fundamental Principle:
Every Indian has the right to learn, preserve and take pride in their mother tongue. Every Indian should also have the opportunity to learn English as a global link language.
No language should be imposed on another linguistic community in the name of national unity.
Unity does not mean linguistic uniformity.
A truly united India must celebrate its linguistic diversity, not attempt to replace it with linguistic dominance.
Respect every language. Preserve every mother tongue. Learn English to connect with the world.
That is the India I believe in.
-Chitha Satguru Yozen Balki 💥
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