President Murmu on Thursday said that India`s progress is deeply connected to its native languages. She stressed that the country’s diverse languages carry a single stream of culture and consciousness at the sixth convocation of the Mahatma Gandhi International Hindi University in Maharashtra`s Wardha.
हमें सशक्त, आत्मनिर्भर और विकसित भारत का निर्माण करना है। ऐसे भारत का निर्माण भारतीय भाषाओं की आधारशिला पर ही संभव है। ‘राष्ट्रीय शिक्षा नीति’ सहित अनेक प्रयासों के बल पर हमारा देश सही दिशा में अग्रसर है। pic.twitter.com/Zqcb98iEF1
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) April 16, 2026
She said, “A strong, self-reliant and developed India can only be built on the foundation of the country`s native languages.”
She also urged people to take pride in Indian languages and said citizens should learn at least one Indian language apart from their mother tongue.
Tribute to Gandhi, Bose and language movement
Speaking at the sixth convocation of University in Wardha, the President recalled historical efforts to promote Hindi. She said that in 1936, Mahatma Gandhi, along with Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose and Acharya Kaka Kalelkar, established the Rashtrabhasha Prachar Samiti in Wardha to promote Hindi.
She noted that their mother tongues were different, Gujarati, Bengali and Marathi but they recognised Hindi as a unifying language during the freedom struggle.
गांधीजी शिक्षा को आत्मनिर्भरता का आधार मानते थे। उन्होंने इस बात पर जोर दिया था कि जो शिक्षा अधिकांश देशवासियों के जीवन की आवश्यकताओं से जुड़ी है, वही सार्थक शिक्षा है। pic.twitter.com/A8xI6eeSaX
— President of India (@rashtrapatibhvn) April 16, 2026
According to her, “These great souls recognised the power of Hindi as a medium for patriotism and national unity.” She also recalled Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose`s famous call in Hindi: “Give me your blood and I will give you freedom.”
Unity through Indian languages
President Murmu said India’s languages are interconnected and reflect shared cultural values. She explained that readers of different languages can still connect with literature through translations, citing her own example. “India`s soul finds expression in Indian languages and a single stream of culture, sensitivity, and consciousness flows through all our diverse Indian languages,” she said. “That is why I or other Odia speakers like me can connect effortlessly with Munshi Premchand`s stories or Mahadevi Verma`s poems in Hindi while reading their Odia translations. Similarly, Hindi readers connect with Odia litterateurs like Fakir Mohan Senapati, Gopinath Mohanty and Pratibha Ray.” President Murmu said, reported PTI.
She also referred to the national song Vande Mataram, saying it binds the emotions of Indians through a mix of Sanskrit and Bengali. “Our national song `Vande Mataram`, composed in a mix of Bengali and Sanskrit, binds the emotions of all Indians into one thread.”
Call for pride in mother tongue and education reform
The President urged students to value their linguistic heritage. She said, “I often quote a line from a popular Odia poem, and I find it relevant today – `Learn as many other languages as you can, but honour your mother tongue.” She added that all Indian languages belong to everyone and encouraged people to learn at least one additional Indian language besides their local language, reported the news agency.
Murmu also said that India must work to remove remnants of a colonial mindset and revive its knowledge traditions. She stressed that education should connect with people’s lives and needs, echoing Mahatma Gandhi’s views.
Language and nation-building
President Murmu said that Indian languages should not only be seen as cultural tools but also as mediums for creativity, research and innovation. She said that a developed India must be rooted in its languages and that efforts like the National Education Policy (NEP) are helping move in the right direction.
(With PTI Inputs)