E-Paper
Linguistic diversity a bridge, not a source of division: Dharmendra Pradhan at KTS 4.0
Pradhan said the programme sought to teach Tamil to students from other parts of the country “in a simple and enjoyable manner”
NEW DELHI: Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan on Tuesday emphasised the central role of languages in sustaining India’s civilisational continuity, stating that India’s languages, regions, and traditions are not isolated strands, but “interconnected streams of one civilisation”.
Addressing the valedictory function of Kashi Tamil Sangamam (KTS) 4.0 in Tamil Nadu’s Rameshwaram, Pradhan said that linguistic diversity was a bridge, not a source of division. “India’s languages, regions, and traditions are not isolated strands, but interconnected streams of one civilisation. KTS initiative is not merely cultural but deeply civilisational in intent,” he said at the function. Vice President CP Radhakrishnan was the chief guest at the event.
Pradhan said learning a language was not just about communication. “Learning Tamil is not limited to acquiring a language, but it opens a gateway to India’s ancient wisdom,” he said. Tamil has evolved as a “language of knowledge, scholarship and lived philosophy,” carrying centuries of intellectual labour across disciplines ranging from ethics and governance to mathematics, astronomy, medicine and ecology.
Pradhan said languages were carriers of India’s living knowledge tradition. “Languages preserved ideas, transmitted methods, and connected thought with everyday life,” he said, adding that Tamil has been “one of the strongest pillars of the tradition of knowledge, sustaining continuity and ensuring that wisdom remains accessible rather than exclusive.”
The education ministry has selected “Tamil Karkalam” (or Let us learn Tamil) as the central theme of KTS 4.0, amid ongoing tensions between the Tamil Nadu government and the central government over the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and its recommendation of a three-language formula. Tamil Nadu has opposed the policy, arguing that it amounts to the “imposition” of Hindi.
Pradhan said the programme sought to teach Tamil to students from other parts of the country “in a simple and enjoyable manner,” while strengthening cultural unity, pride in Tamil, and national devotion. “Though we differ in food, attire, and language, we are united by the spirit of India,” he said.
KTS 4.0 was held in Varanasi from December 2 to 15, bringing together students, academicians, artists, writers and cultural practitioners from across the country. In the second phase of the programme, a special group of 300 students from Varanasi travelled to Tamil Nadu from December 16 to 30 to participate in a 15-day Tamil language learning initiative.
