A heartwarming video of a Russian girl and her Indian friend singing a Kannada poem while cycling through a Bengaluru neighbourhood is going viral on social media.
The clip, shared originally on Instagram by the Russian girl’s mother, captures not only the children’s voices but also the deeper story of cross-cultural friendship and language bonding.
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In the now-viral video, the two young girls, classmates and close friends for over three years, as claimed by the Russian girl's mom, are seen riding their bicycles as they joyfully sing “Bannada Hakki” (Colourful Bird), a popular Kannada children’s poem.
{{/usCountry}}In the now-viral video, the two young girls, classmates and close friends for over three years, as claimed by the Russian girl's mom, are seen riding their bicycles as they joyfully sing “Bannada Hakki” (Colourful Bird), a popular Kannada children’s poem.
{{/usCountry}}Before the video begins, the Instagram post also includes nostalgic photos from 2022, showcasing the duo's friendship journey since the Russian family moved to India.
The mother captioned the video, “3 years in India. Girlfriends - classmates. 3 years of friendship.”
The video caught wider attention when it was reshared on Reddit, where a user wrote, “A Russian kid singing a Kannada poem based out of Bengaluru with her local friend. How good it is to watch! Even foreigners learnt Kannada, what’s your excuse in spreading more love and compassion towards our language?”
Reddit reacts
The video sparked a broader discussion around language learning and the role of schools and environment in helping children adapt linguistically. One user pointed out, “It’s easier for kids to learn a language to speak as they’re not worried about pronunciation.”
Others blamed schools and government policies for not encouraging the learning of local languages, “The government should make local language mandatory in schools so that second-generation immigrants will learn it.”
Another user added, “I learned Kannada when I was 2, along with my mother tongue. But most migrants work in tech hubs or areas where few people speak Kannada, so they never get immersed enough to pick it up.”
Some Redditors also reflected on their personal struggles, “She might be learning Kannada as a subject in school. I’ve tried learning 40-50 words, but without someone to practice with, it’s easy to forget.”
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