Renowned Indian spinner Ravi Ashwin recently caused a stir with his comments about Hindi during a graduation ceremony at Rajalakshmi Engineering College in Kancheepuram, Tamil Nadu, which provoked a national discussion.
As he spoke to the crowd, Ravi Ashwin was asked if he should speak in Hindi, Tamil, or English.
Hindi drew a very low response, whereas Tamil and English drew massive reactions. Hindi is an official language, Ashwin continued.
The next quotation from DT quotes him as saying, “I thought I should say it, Hindi is not our national language; it is an official language.” He received praise for the remark from the audience, which was predominately Tamil-speaking, but it also sparked a contentious debate on social media.
Here’s the video –
#Watch | தமிழுக்கு அதிர்ந்த அரங்கம்.. இந்திக்கு SILENT.. “இந்தி தேசிய மொழி இல்ல”.. பதிவு செய்த அஸ்வின்!
சென்னையில் உள்ள தனியார் பொறியியல் கல்லூரியில் நடைபெற்ற பட்டமளிப்பு விழாவில் மாஸ் காட்டிய கிரிக்கெட் வீரர் அஸ்வின்#SunNews | #Chennai | #Ashwin | @ashwinravi99 pic.twitter.com/TeWPzWAExQ
— Sun News (@sunnewstamil) January 9, 2025
The Constitution of India, a country renowned for its linguistic diversity, recognises 22 scheduled languages. Hindi is not recognised as India’s national language, although it is an official language along with English. This distinction is frequently misinterpreted, which sparks heated discussions.
Efforts to promote Hindi as a uniting language over the years have not been well received, especially from states like Tamil Nadu that do not speak Hindi. Social media fans contended that a well-known person like Ashwin shouldn’t remark on delicate topics like language.
After the Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test in Brisbane, the seasoned spinner recently declared his abrupt retirement from international cricket. Ashwin played for India in 116 ODIs and 65 T20Is, taking 156 and 72 wickets in those matches. He was a member of the teams that won the 2011 ODI World Cup and the 2013 Champions Trophy. The 38-year-old’s next appearance will be in the IPL with the Chennai Super Kings.
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