Did you know that 21st February was declared the International Mother Language Day by UNESCO 25 years ago in a bid to promote preserve linguistic diversity and promote mother tongues? When one of my blogger’s groups decided to give this as a prompt, I knew I really wanted to write about it.
India is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world. We have 22 official languages, about 121 languages are spoken by 10,000 or more people and over 1,600 dialects exist across the country.
And then there is English. The language that unifies us across the country and is also the aspirational language of the masses. English proficiency was and is recognized as a key to better career opportunities, improved income and social status.
Hindi – the language of my heart and English, the language my brain speaks
Like all middle-class children, my sister and I went to an English medium school as well. Coming from a well-educated family, where everyone spoke good English, it was easy for us to pick up the language. By 8-9 I was also a voracious reader and had discovered Enid Blyton novels, which I consumed at a fast speed!
But my mum always wanted us to stay connected with Hindi and she had subscribed to a number of children’s magazines such as Champak, Nandan and Balhans. And our love for Hindi stayed put. My sister and I would race to home from the bus stop, when the new issue of any of these was expected! So much did I love reading Hindi stories, that I would dig out old hindi magazines and read through every story, including even the agony columns! A lot of these were not just stories but gave me an insight into lives of different types of people, different types of families. A peek into the thoughts, fears and aspirations of people, of women across India.
Add to that the fact that my dadi (my paternal grandmother) had published her story collections in Hindi and also had a few novellas to her credit. And my nani (maternal grandmother) used to bring out a women’s magazine for many years, which she unfortunately had to stop after being widowed at an early age.
By grade 9th and 10th, I also started reading stories and novels by well-known authors like Munshi Premchand and others. One of the vernacular works that made a strong impression on my was Ashapoorna Devi’s trilogy of Pratham Pratishruti, Suvarnalata and Bakul Katha. Originally written in Bengali, (but I read in Hindi), the trilogy spans three generations of women, starting with the strong willed Satyabati in 10th century and ending with her granddaughter Bakul in the 20th century. It highlights the gradual but hard-won progress in women’s rights and masterfully portrays how social norms evolve yet persist, making it one of the most powerful feminist narratives in Indian literature.
In my teenage years, I also got introduced to Ghazals (thanks to my mum again) and fell in love with Urdu, Gulzar, Jagjeet Singh and Nida Fazli (not necessarily or maybe in the same order). Gulzar’s voice and his writing completely hooked me!
A couple of years later, when I fell in love, my boyfriend (now husband), wooed me with his beautiful Hindi-Urdu poetry. He would give me his poems on scraps of paper, which I would diligently write in a handmade, rough papered diary, and stick in it flowers picked on that day’s meeting with him. And then I had another diary, a diary that I wrote to him, where I poured all the conversations I had with him in my mind, because I couldn’t be with him 24 hours.
I realized then that I could only write my deepest emotions in Hindi. English is the language of my brain, but Hindi the language of my heart.
Keeping Hindi alive for the next generation….
Unfortunately, this love of the language could not be passed down to the next generation. When my son started school, I was a bit miffed to find out that they start Hindi only in Grade-2 and even so not enough attention was paid whether or not the kids excelled in the language. Anyhow, Arnav did learn the language to an extent. But when Abeer started going to school, we were already in a different country, where forget Hindi, even English was a luxury to come by. Just like many other third culture or expat children, mine too understand and speak their mother tongue but struggle to read and write in it fluently. So I have been trying hard to get both the boys to get a little more literate in Hindi – Hindi tuitions during summer holidays and some Hindi writing and reading during school days – but not sure that I will be able to get them to reading books in Hindi ever ☹ In any case, we try as much as possible in Hindi at home and show them Hindi movies and shows, in an attempt to hang on to as much Hindi as possible.
We are all connected…..
Talking about living in another country – I have been working in Central Asia for the last 6+ years and recently moved to Turkiye. From a language point of view, it was fascinating to see the connect between the Central Asian languages and Hindi/Urdu and also find similarities between Russian and Sanskrit – the origin of Hindi.
Of course I am not gifted in the language section, and even after 6 years, know just a smattering of Russian, but I loved making the connections between our different languages. As I noted in this post on Central Asia, Hindi/Urdu have Persian, Turkic and Arabic influences. Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Uzbek and Turkmen are Turkic languages while Tajik is a Persian language. This connection largely stems from centuries of cultural exchange, trade, and the influence of Persian as a court language in the Indian subcontinent during the Mughal era. Persian, which has historically influenced many Central Asian languages, was the language of administration and poetry in Mughal India. This led to a significant Persian imprint on Urdu, and by extension, Hindi. Words like duniya (world), mohabbat (love), and kitab (book) are shared across Persian, Urdu, and many Central Asian languages. In addition Sanskrit and Russian are also closely related so many Russian words would similar to Hindi words with roots in Sanskrit, such as agni, pita, mata, bhrata.
I work with people of different nationalities and often it is fun when my colleagues from Jordan, Central Asia and Pakistan and I from India are perfectly able to understand a particular word! And it is difficult to figure out if the word has Arabic origins or Persian or Turkic!! Or when for instance I spoke to my mum in Hindi and said something like, “Zaroori hai kya?” and immediately my Uzbek colleagues recognized the word Zaroor! Or when Tajik officials used ‘lekin’ and ‘albatta’ I understood what they meant by those words. (regardless of the fact that I understood little else!) These linguistic overlaps serve as a testament to how languages evolve, adapt, and intertwine, reflecting centuries of shared history. (Another post on this perhaps some day!)
Keeping multiple languages alive….
While talking about Central Asia, I should mention that Russian for them is like English is to India. A unifier of sorts – a language that binds the Central Asians together and also allows them economic opportunities in Russia and other Russian speaking countries. It has long been the region’s lingua franca, a language of opportunity and connection, particularly in urban areas.
However, there has been a growing resurgence of native languages, a conscious effort to reclaim cultural identity and reduce dependence on Russian. Over the years, I have noticed an increasing trend in all of the countries of switching to their own national languages. 30-35 years after the end of the Soviet Union, these countries are coming into their own and also going back to their traditions, culture, religion and languages. More and more the younger generations, especially from rural areas, speak their native languages (Uzbek, Kazakh, Kyrgyz, Tajik) and are not familiar with Russian.
Indeed, this is a positive development—language revival is always a sign of cultural strength. Nevertheless, while it is good to see them embrace their culture and languages (I was surprised by how much the Soviets had managed to wipe out), I also feel that it might be nice to maintain both their national language as well as Russian. This shift, while rooted in cultural pride, risks limiting access to broader opportunities, whether in education, employment, or international engagement. After all, Russian is what connects them to many other countries and provides job opportunities. To note, almost 20-30% of some of these countries’ GDP comes from international remittances mainly from Russia.
I would think that the ideal scenario is not a battle between languages but coexistence—a balance where cultural heritage is preserved without shutting off access to the larger world. Because, language is power, and the ability to navigate multiple languages opens doors. In India, English gave us access to the world, but Hindi and our other regional languages kept us anchored to our roots. Indians have managed a unique balancing act—embracing English as a global connector while fiercely preserving their linguistic diversity. Many Indians can speak 3-4 languages easily (not me alas – just Hindi and English for me).
Ultimately, language is not just about words—it is about identity, connection, and opportunity. As societies navigate the complex balance between heritage and modernity, the key lies in embracing multilingualism, ensuring that no language is lost but rather that every language serves as a bridge to a richer, more connected world.
“This post is a part of ‘Embrace the Native Blog Hop’ hosted by Manali Desai and Sukaina Majeed under #EveryConversationMatters”
This blog post is part of ‘Blogaberry Dazzle’
hosted by Cindy D’Silva and Noor Anand Chawla.
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Regards, Sakshi aka tripleamommy
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It’s so good to know how language isn’t just about words but about emotions, memories, and identity. I totally get that feeling of certain emotions just hitting differently in a specific language. Your journey across languages and cultures is so beautifully expressed. Definitely a piece that stays with you long after reading! ❤️🌍
Language is not just about words—it is about identity, connection, and opportunity… Indeed. That’s why many Indians wish to defend, protect, save their mother languages.
I loved how you shared your personal connection to Hindi and the journey of keeping it alive in your family. It’s so interesting to see how languages intertwine across cultures and generations. Your reflections on multilingualism and its power to connect us are truly thought-provoking!
Romance through poetry feels like fiction one, and you are fortunate to have lived it. The love for language passes through generations, like your mum and Nani passed it over to you. And, now, I think, it’s our duty to pass it to the next generation.
Though I don’t read Hindi, I am forced to listen to various Hindi songs. I normally forward the songs when watching a movie, but I do listen to the ones I like on youtube. Ghazals are something I love listening to when no ones home because no one else seems to like them. Or maybe I’m a more calmer person who likes calm music. 😉
Lovely post! You’ve rightly mentioned that the coexistence of languages is essential—the native language is the soul, while a foreign language opens doors to opportunities. Striking a balance is crucial rather than elevating one language above others. The connector words in different languages you mentioned are fascinating, and I’d love to read an entire blog dedicated to that!
It was great to learn about your language encounters in the dfifferent countries. Personally I loved the handwritten poems and Urdu is my favourite language so yes I feel ghazals are personally thereaupatic.
I like some of your observations. Hindi is my heart language as well, as I watch Bollywood and listen to Hindi songs because I find comfort in the language. However, I am simply unable to find an affinity with Hindi novels and stories. A language that does fascinate me is Persian, I find that truly soulful.
You are absolutely right dear. The native language should be our part of life and we have to keep it alive through generation to generation. Hindi is not our language but when I speak no one can identify that I am Maharashtrian. I love hindi – our राष्ट्र भाषा
Sakshi, you have explored the topic of language so well in this post , that i only seem to be nodding my head in agreement to most of what you have shared.I think when we communicate and read , write or watch in a language , it’s only then that it is deeply ingrained in our minds and we start thinking and feeling in that language.It is different for the next generation, they are exposed to English and other languages (if in a different state or country ) at a much younger age and their mind starts taking in all those other languages.
I feel just like you and my heart speaks Bengali. I love reading books in Bengali even today as it makes me feel home, and more satisfied. I can feel the smell of my land and also it creates a nostalgic emotions within me, i feel blessed. Yes I read a lot in English but somewhere it misses the fragnance of regional languages as per me. I love reading more Indian authors than foreign authors …. same reason I feel good and satisfied. TRaslated works are also good but it cant be exact 10 on 10.
Your love for the language and longing to keep it intact is beautifully expressed in this blog
This was such a heartwarming read. It took me back to my childhood days, waiting for Champak and Nandan to arrive. I totally get what you mean about English being for the mind and Hindi for the heart. No matter where life takes us, our mother tongue always feels like home. Loved this.
I really like your last thought Sakshi: ‘no language is lost but rather that every language serves as a bridge to a richer, more connected world.’ But considering the rate at which the current generation is going, I feel all we will be left with is English in the end 😫😫😫. I too try my best to mak my kids proficient in their mother tongue but they just don’t put in any effort.
It was interesting to read the history and how some diverse languages have words in common. Btw, I always thought ‘mohabbat’ was an Urdu word.😛
You’re right. As a child, we all had the urge to speak in our mother tongue, and keep it alive. But today, this seems a little difficult when we have to juggle between different countries. Languages are ultimately only a means to communicate, yet the pride of speaking in the mother tongue is unique.
Just as your heart feels in Hindi, mine feels in Marathi. The first ever English book which I read (other than textbooks) was “wise otherwise” by Sudha Murthy and that happened during my second year of graduation. Before that, my whole reading journey was with Marathi literature. My schooling happened in Marathi Medium. And that’s why my first choice of creative expression is Marathi! Majority of my poems, stories and articles are in Marathi.
What a fascinating write-up! I love languages too and your thoughts resonate with me. Absolutely loved it.
The way Hindi evokes feelings for you across different countries really struck a chord with me—I feel the same way about certain words and expressions in my language. Language isn’t just communication; it’s memory, emotion, and identity. Loved every bit of this linguistic journey you shared! 😊✨
Yes . Difficult these days to ensure the mother tongue is not forgotten. Good post
What a fascinating write up about your love for the Hindi language, and how you strove to keep it alive. I loved the bit about how you kept your romance going through poetry on scraps of paper and flowers. All languages have links and common words and that could be another fascinating post. Thank you for sharing your thoughts.
Hindi is the language of my heart too. Although English is more talked and exchanged, it has a different feel and connect. Any regional language for that matter has a charm of its own. I feel sad that my kids haven’t picked up any Marwari from me though.
This is great and I agree! Languages are beyond a mode of simple communication through words- it’s also about expressing one’s emotions. Loved your insights and anecdotes.
This post reminds me of my approach towards my bonds – Tamil and English. We may be diverse yet connected. Our native languages are the emotional connection and sense of belonging.
I totally agree with you language is so much more than just communication. I loved how you have kept your love for Hindi alive apart from experiencing multi -linguisim while working across Centra Asia.
Thats a wonderful linguistic journey. I agree, it doesnt matter how many languages we learn. The one we are born with is always special.
It is easy to lose touch with the mother tongue when one is away from the homeland. It takes an effort to keep it alive. I can’t really pinpoint the language my heart speaks since it is a mishmash but my brain does think in English. It is always lovely to read your posts, Sakshi and this one is no different.
It’s so good to read about your live for hindi. Especially the handwritten poems which are nostalgic. Love everything about this post
Loved reading this! Your personal journey with Hindi, along with the cultural and linguistic connections you’ve drawn across countries, is so fascinating. It’s a beautiful reminder of how languages are not just a means of communication but a reflection of history, identity, and belonging.
Language connects us with our roots. I agree that many Indians can easily speak 3-4languages. But I have seen many who feel ashamed to speak their mother tongue at par with English. I feel its time to limelight our regional languages to connect with our rich heritage and not forget the roots.
I think our grandparents played a huge role in keeping us connected to our roots and ensuring we knew how to read, write and speak our mother languages. That, and also the fact that the new generation isn’t staying in the country and/or the mother languages not being mandatory in schools anymore is making us forget these languages.
lovely throwback to how you grew up with several languages and it was never just one language.
Thoroughly enjoyed reading your tiny Hindi poems as well as your thoughts on the preservation of our mother tongue, and multiple languages in general.