Arena

E-mail from readers the world over

Date sent: Fri, 24 Oct 1997 14:04:43 +0100
From: "S.N. CHEVLI" <CCDSNCH@leeds.ac.uk>
Subject: Language Issue!

This is one of the very good articles I have read so far. The thing I liked most about this article is the aggressive nature of the argument and the use of statistics to convey the point.

Samit Chevli

England

Date sent: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 18:36:10 -0700
From: Murali Reddy <mreddy@antivirals.com>
Subject: Don't throw English out of India!

A few years ago while he was chief minister of UP, Mr Mulayam Singh Yadav issued a decree to stop the usage of English in his state. The next morning the local press found out that Mr Yadav sends his children to the best English medium schools in Lucknow. It appears from his latest outburst against English, Mr Yadav hasn't quite come of age or come to realise the linguistic diversity of the Indian nation and the futility of foisting a language as a national language. Or perhaps this is yet another case of posturing on his part to appear as though he is governing or doing something.

At the risk of looking repetitive, let me say how ridiculous is the notion of imposing a language on the rest of the India that has tremendous linguistic diversity. I wonder what's the next asinine scheme Mr Yadav is up to?

Date sent: Fri, 24 Oct 1997 13:06:43 -0700
From: Praful Pillay <P.Pillay@uws.edu.au>
Subject: English versus Hindi

If only Mulayam Singh would focus on what he is supposed to do (namely, take necessary steps to enhance the nation's security), then he would have justified his existence in the government. In today's world knowledge and information is what makes a man (nation) succeed, and it is indeed deplorable that we have people like Mulayam Singh, who under the guise of being leaders, actually perpetuate a culture based on NOT KNOWING.

I have been working abroad for so many years, and I have noticed how successful we Indians have become because of our command over a global language like English. I have seen and experienced the respect that we command as a nation.

Please remember that it is educated people (never mind the language) that provide some hope for India, not illiterate, narrow minded politicians. I shudder with fear, convulse with beads of perspiration thinking what havoc Mulayamji must be wrecking on the defence ministry. Maybe he has already instructed that all missile related-software MUST BE WRITTEN IN HINDI. On second thought, I do not think he has the intelligence to even do that.

Rakesh Sinha

Date sent: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 20:37:19 -0400
From: sandeep gupta <sandeep.z.gupta@lmco.com>
Subject: Good and bad Diwanji

I agree with Diwanji that English is not a just a language but a historic cause for Indian integration. Moreover, it is a tool to connect India with the world. The best example of this fact is India's success in the global corporate world. Of course, the true value of any language is to create a solid local economy, arts, science, and a sense of responsible individuality.

Unfortunately, at this point in time English seems to be the only language that has had any impact in that direction. The failure of Indian languages in creating an intellectual base upon themselves is sorely missing. Multiply that with the imposition of an inferiority complex on the people who do not speak English, and one will see the reason why English in India is not just seen as a communication tool but a ticket to elitist behaviour.

No wonder people like Mulayam who have attained power without being great orators in English are not kind to the language. But promoting any one Indian language as a national language will be a mistake and cause unnecessary harm to the national spirit. Remember China and Pakistan sitting on our borders.

We are fighting envy, hate, and competition here. We must remain united. The tone of Diwanji towards the Indians from the north -- in his language -- clearly does not take that need into account. He forgot that in the North people live better, cities are far more clean, 55% of Indian agricultural output comes from Haryana and Punjab, the two wealthiest states in the nation. So much for literacy and upliftment.

If English produces the national elite, it also produces the army of Babus. In long-run pursuit of prosperity, it still matters who you are than what language you speak. Selectively choosing Bihar and UP and bashing the culture in the North would not solve any purpose. Every region in India has something to offer. Diwanji, stick to the point and welcome to Delhi.

Date sent: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 05:22:13 -0700
From: Madhav <vkp@unlinfo.unl.edu>
Subject: Importance of English language in India!

This is an excellent article. It would serve better if you sent this as a hard copy to Mulayam Singh. These idiotic politicians should realise how shallow their thinking is. So in all earnest, I would urge you to send these thought provoking articles to appropriate politicians. At least we can hope if something like this causes a spark in their rusted brains.

My vehemence towards Mulayam and other worthless politicians is not about the philosophy of a particular language, or having Indian version of name for cities or towns. It is about the significance of them. At a time when more important issues are warranted, these hypocrites run around raising worthless issues. Since they can't address the real world problems of Indians, they raise some crappy issues such as this.

Venkat

Date sent: Fri, 24 Oct 1997 00:34:24 -0400 (EDT)
From: <ManShri@aol.com>
Subject: Don't throw English out of India!

I was surprised to read such an article on the Internet, where you are abusing your own language for a foreign language. If anyone has problem with Hindi as a national language, there are lot of ways of saying that, not calling it a bazaar language without any proof of past records.

On top of that you call it a language of worst part of the country, with- out realising the past history of states like UP and Bihar. These are the places which has contributed a lot in the freedom struggle of the country. UP and Bihar is the land of Ram, Krishna and Buddha. It is the land of Rajendra Prasad, Nehru, Maulana Azad etc. These are the people who are the heroes of many Indians.

Bihar is the richest state in India for mineral resources. These states are behind other states of India because of a lot of other factors not just Hindi. These are the states which produce maximum number of bureaucrats, who are running this country.

Whatever progress India has made till now is because of efforts of each Indian national, not by certain sections of people. This article has not only hurt my feelings, but all Hindi-speaking people. This article has insulted the Hindi language and people of Hindi speaking states.

Manish

Date sent: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 08:48:21 -0400
From: rajendran <raje@ny.citoh.com>
Subject: Keep it up Diwanji and Rediff

It's nice to read a wonderful and well imagined article like this. The author has stated the importance of the English language very appropriately and his views are greatly appreciable. Congrats Rediff for publishing such a nice article which will open the eyes of our blinded politicians. It would be nice if Rediff could publish a lot more stories like this to create awareness among Indians in a global way.

Sam

Date sent: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 11:11:28 -0400 (EDT)
From: Desai Paarth <desai@ncat.edu>
Subject: Diwanji on English

The article was interesting, but I would like him to know that language brings in culture. Stopping the use of English will harm us more than bringing any benefit, but ignoring our native languages like Hindi and Tamil would have grave consequences in the long term. English should only be a business language, and its use in social and personal situation should be strictly restricted.

Paarth

Date sent: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 18:07:44 +0530
From: "Manoj M.V.[M]" <manu@miel.mot.com>
Subject: English in India

The article was really good. I agree with your points. I am a software engineer, working for Motorola, Bangalore I just can read and understand Hindi. But I can't speak Hindi.

I believe English can integrate India in a much better and faster way than Hindi can do. In fact, on coming to Bangalore, after doing my education in Kerala, I am managing here with English, not with Kannada, Hindi or Malyalam.

Moreover when technology evolves from different parts of the world, and most of the books related to technology are available only in English, it is better to learn English.

Let the people from the Hindi-speaking areas speak Hindi. Let them not learn English if they don't want to. But they don't have the right to impose Hindi on everybody.

Manoj MV

Date sent: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 08:12:57 -0400
From: Atul Chowdhry <atulc@ms.com>
Subject: Amberish K Diwanji

This is probably the only article to date in Rediff that has been a complete waste of my time. The author is just caught up in his own intellectual ramblings, making no convincing point or argument -- what did I just read?

Please keep up the excellent work and try to eliminate articles like these.

Atul

Date sent: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 11:09:33 +0200
From: Siva Rama Kumar Somayajula <siva@danet.de>
Subject: Hindi Vs English

That was a thought provoking article by Amberish K Diwanji. Even though I don't agree word by word with him, the essence of the article makes a whole lot of sense.

To throw English out of India is the single most irrecoverable way of damaging its future and progress. As he rightly pointed out that English looks like the only way to unite the otherwise diverse cultures of India. There is no shame in accepting something foreign into our system if it does more good than harm! Otherwise, we would have to throw away our political system, our Constitution and a lot of other things too as they were based on the English systems.

In this age of information technology, look at what English has done to India. Why does India have the world's largest (or the second?) number of software programmers? China has more population than us. Or why have all the MNCs worth their salt opened up development (software) centres in India?

Some people may argue that Indians have brains for software which the Westerns lack, this is not correct. India owes its rapid development in the area of information technology to its English speaking population. This is not to say that non-English speaking nations are not developing, but not at the rate of India!

People like Mulayam Singh and Laloo who survive on the widespread illiteracy in their states might be justified in their own selfish ways to throw out English out of India.

Yaji

Date sent: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 10:42:37 +0800
From: "Dr.K.Murali" <cvekm@nus.edu.sg>
Subject: Don't throw English out of India!

What to say?.....It's the truth.

K Murali

Date sent: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 10:30:58 +0800
From: Dr M Arul <mpeam@nus.edu.sg>
Subject: English out of India

The article gives the present situation of India in an excellent way. Today India's strength lies in our highly educated, disciplined manpower for which, English the language we studied, helped in many ways. Not only uniting India, but connecting India to the rest of the world. Today we are leading in the software field by just having PCs of 486 and Pentium processors.

Actually the problem with our politicians is double talk according to time and situations, that's the major drawback for the progress of our mother land.

Date sent: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 17:12:25 -0700
From: Brian Trick <marya2@earthlink.net>
Subject: Regarding English language

I really liked this article "Please don't throw away English out of India." It should, if possible be published in the national newspapers of India, so that people understand what their ignorant, foolish and selfish leaders (??) are up to. Maybe a translated copy could be sent to Shri Mulayam Singh!

Date sent: Thu, 23 Oct 1997 12:10:24 +0800
From: Anurag <anurag@cs.ust.hk>
Subject: Do not throw English

The article is biased, poor in taste and not required. Today the question is not to throw English out, but how to develop Indian language and make people literate. Here the author is biased and has made remarks not required at all. According to him Hindi-speaking people are foolish and selfish, and do not understand issues related to India.

It seems the author has a highly distorted view of India, and does not understand what India is. He is afraid that if Hindi is made the national language some Indians will benefit and have an advantage over others. Whether Hindi is the national language or not those who wants to learn it will learn it, and if they want to 'open their eyes' to the world they will open it. But few wants to take advantage of others and rule, and keep others out of power.

Anurag

Date sent: Wed, 22 Oct 1997 15:37:10 -0700
From: <vketan@ix.netcom.com>
Subject: Don't throw English out

Mail this article to Mulayam Singh Yadav.

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