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Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s reflections in the 129th edition of Mann Ki Baat underline a broader narrative
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“As the Indian diaspora expands and integrates globally, it is also finding meaningful ways to preserve and pass on its linguistic legacy, ensuring that regional languages remain vibrant symbols of identity wherever Indians call home”
India’s linguistic heritage is quietly but steadily strengthening its roots far beyond the country’s borders, Prime Minister Narendra Modi observed in the latest episode of his monthly radio programme Mann Ki Baat. In the 129th edition, the Prime Minister highlighted how regional Indian languages are being preserved and promoted by diaspora communities, underlining their enduring role in shaping India’s cultural identity worldwide.
Citing a compelling example from the Gulf, Modi spoke about the establishment of a Kannada Pathshala in Dubai. The initiative, he explained, emerged from a moment of introspection among Kannada-speaking families living in the UAE. While their children were thriving academically and adapting well to a technology-driven global environment, parents began to worry whether the younger generation was gradually losing its connection with the mother tongue. That concern, the Prime Minister said, led to the birth of the Kannada Pathshala—an effort to ensure that language and cultural roots are not lost amid global success.
The Prime Minister’s message then travelled thousands of kilometres eastward, to the Pacific island nation of Fiji. He lauded the celebration of Tamil Day in the town of Rakiraki, where a school recently organised its first such event. According to Modi, students enthusiastically participated by reciting poems, delivering speeches and presenting elements of Tamil culture on stage. The event, he noted, reflected a renewed interest and emotional attachment to the Tamil language among the Indian-origin community in the region.
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Describing Tamil as one of the world’s oldest living languages, the Prime Minister said efforts to promote it are gaining momentum not only overseas but also within India
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He pointed to initiatives such as the Kashi Tamil Sangamam in Varanasi, which seeks to strengthen cultural and linguistic bonds between different regions of the country. Such programmes, he said, celebrate the shared civilisational ethos that binds India’s diversity together
“These efforts reflect Bharat’s unity,” Modi remarked, emphasising that India’s languages are more than just means of communication—they are carriers of history, values and collective memory. Whether through community-run schools in Dubai or cultural celebrations in Fiji, India’s linguistic traditions continue to travel with its people, adapt to new environments, and flourish across generations.
