Venkaiah pitches for edn in mother tongue

Hyderabad: The former vice president M Venkaiah Naidu emphasised on the need for promoting mother tongue both as medium of education and governance. He said it was unfortunate that all Government Orders and communication takes place in English and only translation in respective regional languages is circulated. Instead they should be given in Telugu with English translation.

Inaugurating a colourful Sankranti Sammelanam, under the aegis of Telugu Sangamam, at Narsingi on Sunday, he said a healthy society, whereupon universal brotherhood is the core spirit and can be achieved by loving the motherland and fostering bonds through language.

He said language can create and strengthen society and facilitate its all-round development. India has the distinct advantage of achieving a unique oneness because it is an amalgamation of innumerable languages, cultures, traditions and lifestyles. While unity in diversity binds us all together, language and culture play a greater role in connecting generations together and stay deep-rooted in our ethos, he said.

"I feel that there is an urgent need to preserve mother tongue. Towards this education ought to be in the mother tongue, which should also be preferred as the administrative language and during proceedings in courts. What I am saying is that no matter how many languages you know, learn the mother tongue. It is equally important to respect the language and cultures of others," he added.

Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya said "Telugu Sangamam was doing a wonderful job with its Sankranti celebrations. It is strengthening the cultural richness of Telugus and helping us feast upon our culture and language and food delicacies. Sankranthi has both seasonal and religious significance and is the most auspicious festival for farmers."

Eminent film director, Raghavendra Rao and classical singer popular for renditions of Annamacharya Keertanas Shobha Raju and another classical singer Sweta Prasad were felicitated on the occasion.