Hindi in Arunachal
By Maj Gen G D Bakshi, SM,VSM (retd)
Who says that India ends in the North East? Frankly, it begins here.
Did you know that a group of students in Arunachal Pradesh have taken a chapter out of India's freedom struggle and begun a movement to boycott Chinese goods?
I made this discovery, and many others, when I was invited to Itanagar in October to meet 645 college students from 28 colleges and technical institutions of Arunachal Pradesh.
The Youth Camp, inaugurated by Education Minister Bosiram Siram, turned out to be a most memorable and unforgettable experience.
I went to teach, but was left speechless and deeply moved by the burning patriotic fervour and tremendous enthusiasm of these tribal youth from the Adi, Apatani, Monpa, Mishmi, Nyishi, Tagin and so many other tribes across this border state.
All of them were fluent in a pure and Sanskritised form of Hindi. They were well informed and deeply aware of national, regional and global issues.
They have an innate flair for community singing and their melodious chanting of Sanskrit hymns from the Vedas and Upanishads left one spellbound. In fact, it moved one to tears to see their love for their country and culture.
In Picture: Students at the Leadership summit in Itanagar (Image copyright: Indian Defence Review. Unauthorised reproduction prohibited)
Also from Indian Defence Review: India's Foreign Policy : A Muddle for Sixty Two Years
