“The retired cricketer’s remark on Hindi as an official language reignites discussions on linguistic diversity and cultural identity in India.”
January 10, 2025: Indian cricket legend Ravichandran Ashwin, who recently announced his retirement, has sparked a fresh debate on the status of Hindi in India. Speaking at a graduation ceremony at a private engineering college in Tamil Nadu, Ashwin remarked, “Hindi is not our national language; it is an official language.” His statement came during an interaction with students, where he encouraged them to ask questions in the language they were most comfortable with.
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The Context of the Statement
Ashwin addressed the students by gauging their comfort with different languages. He started by asking, “English students in the house – give me a yay,” which received enthusiastic cheers. When he called out “Tamil,” the response was even louder. However, when he mentioned “Hindi,” the room fell silent.
“Hindi Not Our National Language”: R Ashwin Triggers Debate
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This prompted Ashwin to clarify, “I thought I should say this. Hindi is not our national language; it is an official language,” speaking in Tamil. The remark comes at a time when Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK and other opposition parties have accused the Centre of attempting to impose Hindi on non-Hindi-speaking states.
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Tamil Nadu: Former off spinner Ravichandran Ashwin says, "…I thought I'd say it all. It's (Hindi) not our national language; It's an official language. Okay, anyway"
— IANS (@ians_india) January 10, 2025
(09/01/2025) pic.twitter.com/bR47icWZEU
Ashwin’s Diplomatic Insights
At the same event, Ashwin touched upon leadership and persistence. When asked about Team India’s captaincy, the off-spinner shared, “When someone says I can’t do it, I wake up to accomplish it, but if they say I can, I lose interest.”
He also reflected on his background as an engineering graduate, urging students to embrace challenges and remain persistent. “If someone told me I couldn’t become captain, I would have worked harder,” he said, emphasizing resilience and focus.
A Thought on Lifelong Learning
Ashwin concluded his address with a motivational note for the graduating students: “If you are a student, you will never stop. If you aren’t, learning will cease, and excellence will just be a word in your cupboard.”
Impact of the Comment
Ashwin’s comment on Hindi has added fuel to the ongoing linguistic debate, particularly in Tamil Nadu, where such topics often evoke strong reactions. As a respected figure in Indian cricket, his views carry weight and have reignited discussions about India’s cultural and linguistic diversity.
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Ravichandran Ashwin, Hindi language debate, Tamil Nadu, linguistic diversity, Ashwin retirement, Indian cricket, national language debate, Team India, cultural identity.