how hard has the colonial hangover hit us how deep has been the impact of 200
us how deep has been the impact of 200
us how deep has been the impact of 200 years of slavery on us Indians that
years of slavery on us Indians that
years of slavery on us Indians that Ganga became Ganges Karen became karma
Ganga became Ganges Karen became karma
Ganga became Ganges Karen became karma and Indians became an Greece India for
and Indians became an Greece India for
and Indians became an Greece India for decades has been known for its rich
decades has been known for its rich
decades has been known for its rich cultural heritage and moral values but
cultural heritage and moral values but
cultural heritage and moral values but if we ask ourselves are we capable
if we ask ourselves are we capable
if we ask ourselves are we capable enough to be known that way a land where
enough to be known that way a land where
enough to be known that way a land where people shed their blood and sacrifice
people shed their blood and sacrifice
people shed their blood and sacrifice their lives just so that the future
their lives just so that the future
their lives just so that the future generations could call themselves proud
generations could call themselves proud
generations could call themselves proud Indians so that everyone could live
Indians so that everyone could live
Indians so that everyone could live together in harmony so that the real
together in harmony so that the real
together in harmony so that the real meaning of culture would be known to all
meaning of culture would be known to all
meaning of culture would be known to all but I don’t see that that is the case
but I don’t see that that is the case
but I don’t see that that is the case today we have forgotten our culture it’s
today we have forgotten our culture it’s
today we have forgotten our culture it’s quite funny that when we greet each
quite funny that when we greet each
quite funny that when we greet each other it’s usually not within a mistake
other it’s usually not within a mistake
other it’s usually not within a mistake but with a Hello
but with a Hello
but with a Hello and instead of respecting our elders and
and instead of respecting our elders and
and instead of respecting our elders and valuing our relationships we tend to
valuing our relationships we tend to
valuing our relationships we tend to give greater importance to our ego and
give greater importance to our ego and
give greater importance to our ego and self pride and these things are doing us
self pride and these things are doing us
self pride and these things are doing us no good instead instead this is what we
no good instead instead this is what we
no good instead instead this is what we see then something that our culture
see then something that our culture
see then something that our culture hasn’t taught us the Indian culture says
hasn’t taught us the Indian culture says
hasn’t taught us the Indian culture says that we need to love everyone by first
that we need to love everyone by first
that we need to love everyone by first accepting them the way they are our
accepting them the way they are our
accepting them the way they are our culture taught us that we need to be
culture taught us that we need to be
culture taught us that we need to be tolerant towards the end elderly and
tolerant towards the end elderly and
tolerant towards the end elderly and respect them no matter what our opinion
respect them no matter what our opinion
respect them no matter what our opinion is but we tend to pretend that we are
is but we tend to pretend that we are
is but we tend to pretend that we are very modernized and we fail to know this
very modernized and we fail to know this
very modernized and we fail to know this fact that modernization and culture can
fact that modernization and culture can
fact that modernization and culture can go hand in hand and this is where we
go hand in hand and this is where we
go hand in hand and this is where we lack and all this is caused because we
lack and all this is caused because we
lack and all this is caused because we are drifting away from our language and
are drifting away from our language and
are drifting away from our language and it is only the language that connects
it is only the language that connects
it is only the language that connects one to the culture so the equation we
one to the culture so the equation we
one to the culture so the equation we know today
know today
know today that Hindi equals to downmarket
that Hindi equals to downmarket
that Hindi equals to downmarket something we don’t want to use in our
something we don’t want to use in our
something we don’t want to use in our daily conversations something that is
daily conversations something that is
daily conversations something that is not going to place us any higher in the
not going to place us any higher in the
not going to place us any higher in the other person’s list of intelligence on
other person’s list of intelligence on
other person’s list of intelligence on the other hand English equals to success
the other hand English equals to success
the other hand English equals to success something it just seems that having a
something it just seems that having a
something it just seems that having a good command over English is as if
good command over English is as if
good command over English is as if you’ve been given a guaranteed password
you’ve been given a guaranteed password
you’ve been given a guaranteed password to success but that is not the case that
to success but that is not the case that
to success but that is not the case that is how we know everything I agree that
is how we know everything I agree that
is how we know everything I agree that being fluent at English is very
being fluent at English is very
being fluent at English is very important especially in today’s
important especially in today’s
important especially in today’s modernized world today’s globalized
modernized world today’s globalized
modernized world today’s globalized world it is very important but then that
world it is very important but then that
world it is very important but then that doesn’t mean that we forget our own
doesn’t mean that we forget our own
doesn’t mean that we forget our own language language was meant to connect
language language was meant to connect
language language was meant to connect us language was meant so that we can all
us language was meant so that we can all
us language was meant so that we can all connect together by expressing our
connect together by expressing our
connect together by expressing our thoughts by communicating what we are
thoughts by communicating what we are
thoughts by communicating what we are feeling how we are feeling but this is
feeling how we are feeling but this is
feeling how we are feeling but this is not what is happening today I’ll give
not what is happening today I’ll give
not what is happening today I’ll give you my example I chose Hindi literature
you my example I chose Hindi literature
you my example I chose Hindi literature over English literature in IB as a part
over English literature in IB as a part
over English literature in IB as a part of the literature curriculum and this
of the literature curriculum and this
of the literature curriculum and this one decision of my life seemed as if I
one decision of my life seemed as if I
one decision of my life seemed as if I was answerable to so many questions
was answerable to so many questions
was answerable to so many questions I was literally bombarded with questions
I was literally bombarded with questions
I was literally bombarded with questions and I was really shocked as I saw
and I was really shocked as I saw
and I was really shocked as I saw people’s expressions as I saw people
people’s expressions as I saw people
people’s expressions as I saw people react to my decision they they pretended
react to my decision they they pretended
react to my decision they they pretended that it was something very unusual but
that it was something very unusual but
that it was something very unusual but why why does it mindset still exist
why why does it mindset still exist
why why does it mindset still exist in my mind the changes pretty sure’s
in my mind the changes pretty sure’s
in my mind the changes pretty sure’s brought about in a society at that point
brought about in a society at that point
brought about in a society at that point of time for sure have changed our
of time for sure have changed our
of time for sure have changed our perceptions in today’s world secondly
perceptions in today’s world secondly
perceptions in today’s world secondly the biggest mistake of my life we have
the biggest mistake of my life we have
the biggest mistake of my life we have started measuring intelligence based on
started measuring intelligence based on
started measuring intelligence based on the language we know – the means of
the language we know – the means of
the language we know – the means of language it is often perceived that a
language it is often perceived that a
language it is often perceived that a person who has a greater command has a
person who has a greater command has a
person who has a greater command has a better command over the English language
better command over the English language
better command over the English language is brighter but do we think so do you
is brighter but do we think so do you
is brighter but do we think so do you think so we’ve also started measuring
think so we’ve also started measuring
think so we’ve also started measuring status symbol as a part of as
status symbol as a part of as
status symbol as a part of as through language a person who has a
through language a person who has a
through language a person who has a higher status in society it demands that
higher status in society it demands that
higher status in society it demands that person to know the language a language
person to know the language a language
person to know the language a language of English well but why so and thirdly
of English well but why so and thirdly
of English well but why so and thirdly obviously job prospects it is our it is
obviously job prospects it is our it is
obviously job prospects it is our it is the overall society it’s the perception
the overall society it’s the perception
the overall society it’s the perception of the society that if we have a good
of the society that if we have a good
of the society that if we have a good command over English we are going to get
command over English we are going to get
command over English we are going to get a job for sure and that too very easily
a job for sure and that too very easily
a job for sure and that too very easily and very sadly and unfortunately that is
and very sadly and unfortunately that is
and very sadly and unfortunately that is actually true to some extent this is
actually true to some extent this is
actually true to some extent this is because our society values language more
because our society values language more
because our society values language more than our actual skills which is not at
than our actual skills which is not at
than our actual skills which is not at all good it’s not benefiting us so I
all good it’s not benefiting us so I
all good it’s not benefiting us so I just wanted to see if everyone shares
just wanted to see if everyone shares
just wanted to see if everyone shares the same perception as me and I
the same perception as me and I
the same perception as me and I conducted a survey in my neighborhood
conducted a survey in my neighborhood
conducted a survey in my neighborhood this is what I found I asked the school
this is what I found I asked the school
this is what I found I asked the school going children that do you remember the
going children that do you remember the
going children that do you remember the Hindi alphabets and 100% of them said no
Hindi alphabets and 100% of them said no
Hindi alphabets and 100% of them said no they know the eh-2-zed but they don’t
they know the eh-2-zed but they don’t
they know the eh-2-zed but they don’t know koko burger and we call ourselves
know koko burger and we call ourselves
know koko burger and we call ourselves Indians then I went to the office going
Indians then I went to the office going
Indians then I went to the office going the working-age people and I asked them
the working-age people and I asked them
the working-age people and I asked them then in which language do you conduct
then in which language do you conduct
then in which language do you conduct your business meetings and almost eighty
your business meetings and almost eighty
your business meetings and almost eighty three point three percent people said
three point three percent people said
three point three percent people said they do it through the means of language
they do it through the means of language
they do it through the means of language English and only sixteen point seven
English and only sixteen point seven
English and only sixteen point seven percent people said that they do it
percent people said that they do it
percent people said that they do it through Hindi and lastly I went to the
through Hindi and lastly I went to the
through Hindi and lastly I went to the elders of a society I went to these
elders of a society I went to these
elders of a society I went to these senior citizens of for society and I
senior citizens of for society and I
senior citizens of for society and I asked them that do you think that the
asked them that do you think that the
asked them that do you think that the younger generation today is drifting
younger generation today is drifting
younger generation today is drifting away from their own culture do you think
away from their own culture do you think
away from their own culture do you think that the impact of westernization and
that the impact of westernization and
that the impact of westernization and modernization has been such that we
modernization has been such that we
modernization has been such that we don’t care about a language and a
don’t care about a language and a
don’t care about a language and a culture anymore and they said yes in
culture anymore and they said yes in
culture anymore and they said yes in fact 100 percent of them said yes all of
fact 100 percent of them said yes all of
fact 100 percent of them said yes all of them said yes so I got to I basically
them said yes so I got to I basically
them said yes so I got to I basically can prove myself right now this is a
can prove myself right now this is a
can prove myself right now this is a proof to where I’m staying
proof to where I’m staying
proof to where I’m staying another example let’s see this mouth
another example let’s see this mouth
another example let’s see this mouth the green areas here like USA Canada
the green areas here like USA Canada
the green areas here like USA Canada Alaska Australia United Kingdom these
Alaska Australia United Kingdom these
Alaska Australia United Kingdom these places are the places where English is
places are the places where English is
places are the places where English is spoken as the first language it is
spoken as the first language it is
spoken as the first language it is spoken as an official language and it’s
spoken as an official language and it’s
spoken as an official language and it’s very common over there but a few see
very common over there but a few see
very common over there but a few see places such as India Bangladesh Pakistan
places such as India Bangladesh Pakistan
places such as India Bangladesh Pakistan and some regions in Africa then you can
and some regions in Africa then you can
and some regions in Africa then you can see that this these are the places where
see that this these are the places where
see that this these are the places where English is widely spoken but not as the
English is widely spoken but not as the
English is widely spoken but not as the national language it’s just an official
national language it’s just an official
national language it’s just an official language there and I was really
language there and I was really
language there and I was really surprised by this because even I felt
surprised by this because even I felt
surprised by this because even I felt that if we have a good command over
that if we have a good command over
that if we have a good command over English then that means that success and
English then that means that success and
English then that means that success and our success and our growth is obviously
our success and our growth is obviously
our success and our growth is obviously there for sure it’s for sure that we’re
there for sure it’s for sure that we’re
there for sure it’s for sure that we’re going to succeed in life but this map
going to succeed in life but this map
going to succeed in life but this map got me thinking China it’s one of the
got me thinking China it’s one of the
got me thinking China it’s one of the biggest manufacturing hubs in the world
biggest manufacturing hubs in the world
biggest manufacturing hubs in the world and they have promoted the culture so
and they have promoted the culture so
and they have promoted the culture so much to that extent that Mandarin
much to that extent that Mandarin
much to that extent that Mandarin Chinese is the most widely spoken
Chinese is the most widely spoken
Chinese is the most widely spoken language over the globe it has more
language over the globe it has more
language over the globe it has more speakers than the language English does
speakers than the language English does
speakers than the language English does so have they failed
so have they failed
so have they failed did they not bro I’ll give you another
did they not bro I’ll give you another
did they not bro I’ll give you another example if you see countries such as
example if you see countries such as
example if you see countries such as Japan and Germany in such less in such a
Japan and Germany in such less in such a
Japan and Germany in such less in such a short span of time they have grown so
short span of time they have grown so
short span of time they have grown so much they have gained so much of growth
much they have gained so much of growth
much they have gained so much of growth so much of development because as a part
so much of development because as a part
so much of development because as a part of the culture they’ve come together
of the culture they’ve come together
of the culture they’ve come together they have united they have joined hands
they have united they have joined hands
they have united they have joined hands so that they can see their economy
so that they can see their economy
so that they can see their economy growing and blooming this is what
growing and blooming this is what
growing and blooming this is what culture does not English and I asked
culture does not English and I asked
culture does not English and I asked some of my Japanese and Korean friends
some of my Japanese and Korean friends
some of my Japanese and Korean friends and I was startled I was shocked to hear
and I was startled I was shocked to hear
and I was startled I was shocked to hear from them that in their country business
from them that in their country business
from them that in their country business meetings are conducted in their own
meetings are conducted in their own
meetings are conducted in their own mother tongue and not in English most of
mother tongue and not in English most of
mother tongue and not in English most of them
now you must be thinking that why am I
now you must be thinking that why am I even standing here promoting Hindi
even standing here promoting Hindi
even standing here promoting Hindi what’s the use it’s not even spoken in
what’s the use it’s not even spoken in
what’s the use it’s not even spoken in the southern part of India and not even
the southern part of India and not even
the southern part of India and not even in the northeast part of India what am I
in the northeast part of India what am I
in the northeast part of India what am I even doing here wasting my time no what
even doing here wasting my time no what
even doing here wasting my time no what I think is that Hindi because it’s a
I think is that Hindi because it’s a
I think is that Hindi because it’s a mother tongue it basically preserves our
mother tongue it basically preserves our
mother tongue it basically preserves our identity and it gives a sense of
identity and it gives a sense of
identity and it gives a sense of belongingness to us we are social
belongingness to us we are social
belongingness to us we are social animals we need a place to belong we
animals we need a place to belong we
animals we need a place to belong we need somewhere to connect and culture
need somewhere to connect and culture
need somewhere to connect and culture gives you that place wherein you’re not
gives you that place wherein you’re not
gives you that place wherein you’re not judged according to your in terms of
judged according to your in terms of
judged according to your in terms of your colour in terms of your Creed in
your colour in terms of your Creed in
your colour in terms of your Creed in terms of you cast your just few you are
terms of you cast your just few you are
terms of you cast your just few you are part of that culture and you get the
part of that culture and you get the
part of that culture and you get the sense of belongingness culture is
sense of belongingness culture is
sense of belongingness culture is something that bridges gaps it basically
something that bridges gaps it basically
something that bridges gaps it basically connects everyone but then if we want to
connects everyone but then if we want to
connects everyone but then if we want to connect through culture we have to know
connect through culture we have to know
connect through culture we have to know our language and that is why Hindi is
our language and that is why Hindi is
our language and that is why Hindi is important the second reason is that
important the second reason is that
important the second reason is that keeping in touch with our ancestral
keeping in touch with our ancestral
keeping in touch with our ancestral roots is very important because we
roots is very important because we
roots is very important because we cannot respect our culture or our
cannot respect our culture or our
cannot respect our culture or our country till the time we don’t know its
country till the time we don’t know its
country till the time we don’t know its history and its past so it is very
history and its past so it is very
history and its past so it is very important that we know our history and
important that we know our history and
important that we know our history and our past so that we can connect to our
our past so that we can connect to our
our past so that we can connect to our culture and if we cannot even respect
culture and if we cannot even respect
culture and if we cannot even respect our culture then how can we respect our
our culture then how can we respect our
our culture then how can we respect our language how can we respect our people
language how can we respect our people
language how can we respect our people and I don’t know if I’m wrong to say
and I don’t know if I’m wrong to say
and I don’t know if I’m wrong to say this but I think that India the major
this but I think that India the major
this but I think that India the major obstacle in its growth is the fact that
obstacle in its growth is the fact that
obstacle in its growth is the fact that we’re not United it’s the fact that we
we’re not United it’s the fact that we
we’re not United it’s the fact that we judge each other in terms of how well we
judge each other in terms of how well we
judge each other in terms of how well we know English but that shouldn’t be the
know English but that shouldn’t be the
know English but that shouldn’t be the reason that shouldn’t be the case so I
reason that shouldn’t be the case so I
reason that shouldn’t be the case so I have a couple of questions for you in
have a couple of questions for you in
have a couple of questions for you in which language did he first learn to
which language did he first learn to
which language did he first learn to speak was it your own mother tongue if
speak was it your own mother tongue if
speak was it your own mother tongue if you’re not a native american or a
you’re not a native american or a
you’re not a native american or a Britisher then out then this question is
Britisher then out then this question is
Britisher then out then this question is for you was it your mother tongue or was
for you was it your mother tongue or was
for you was it your mother tongue or was it your language English
thank you so much and how do you learn
thank you so much and how do you learn the language English then school okay
the language English then school okay
the language English then school okay yeah Spanish I had Spanish somewhere
yeah Spanish I had Spanish somewhere
yeah Spanish I had Spanish somewhere there so it basically means that we use
there so it basically means that we use
there so it basically means that we use our own mother tongue to translate and
our own mother tongue to translate and
our own mother tongue to translate and to learn the new language usage which is
to learn the new language usage which is
to learn the new language usage which is English a second language of foreign
English a second language of foreign
English a second language of foreign language for us it is very surprising
language for us it is very surprising
language for us it is very surprising that India which is the land to almost
that India which is the land to almost
that India which is the land to almost 22 major languages we cannot find a
22 major languages we cannot find a
22 major languages we cannot find a language that connects all of us because
language that connects all of us because
language that connects all of us because we’re just running after English we
we’re just running after English we
we’re just running after English we cannot find a language that bridges all
cannot find a language that bridges all
cannot find a language that bridges all our gaps we cannot find a language when
our gaps we cannot find a language when
our gaps we cannot find a language when we can say that we’re proud Indians we
we can say that we’re proud Indians we
we can say that we’re proud Indians we all are united we are one we don’t have
all are united we are one we don’t have
all are united we are one we don’t have that language we don’t have any culture
that language we don’t have any culture
that language we don’t have any culture like that and it is often it is a funny
like that and it is often it is a funny
like that and it is often it is a funny thing
thing
thing if someone says I’m a proud Indian it’s
if someone says I’m a proud Indian it’s
if someone says I’m a proud Indian it’s considered a joke this is what we’re
considered a joke this is what we’re
considered a joke this is what we’re doing to our culture this is what we’re
doing to our culture this is what we’re
doing to our culture this is what we’re doing now you must be thinking that I’m
doing now you must be thinking that I’m
doing now you must be thinking that I’m against English but that is not the case
against English but that is not the case
against English but that is not the case English is very important in today’s
English is very important in today’s
English is very important in today’s globalized world we need to communicate
globalized world we need to communicate
globalized world we need to communicate our thoughts to each other we need to
our thoughts to each other we need to
our thoughts to each other we need to know the English language so that we can
know the English language so that we can
know the English language so that we can communicate with people who are not
communicate with people who are not
communicate with people who are not native speakers as for own mother tongue
native speakers as for own mother tongue
native speakers as for own mother tongue we do right but then again the right
we do right but then again the right
we do right but then again the right equation is this that we shouldn’t
equation is this that we shouldn’t
equation is this that we shouldn’t forget the language which has come from
forget the language which has come from
forget the language which has come from a mother’s womb this is the right
a mother’s womb this is the right
a mother’s womb this is the right equation that Hindi equals to our crown
equation that Hindi equals to our crown
equation that Hindi equals to our crown and English equals to our sky now what I
and English equals to our sky now what I
and English equals to our sky now what I mean through this is that English should
mean through this is that English should
mean through this is that English should be language which fuels growth which
be language which fuels growth which
be language which fuels growth which fuels personal development English
fuels personal development English
fuels personal development English should take us to Heights but then Hindi
should take us to Heights but then Hindi
should take us to Heights but then Hindi is needed as a ground every person needs
is needed as a ground every person needs
is needed as a ground every person needs a ground to fall on every person is the
a ground to fall on every person is the
a ground to fall on every person is the ground to stand on we need a ground we
ground to stand on we need a ground we
ground to stand on we need a ground we need a base we can’t just dive up to the
need a base we can’t just dive up to the
need a base we can’t just dive up to the heights without a ground and then that
heights without a ground and then that
heights without a ground and then that ground is provided by your culture
ground is provided by your culture
ground is provided by your culture your language so this is the right
your language so this is the right
your language so this is the right equation in my opinion and I would like
equation in my opinion and I would like
equation in my opinion and I would like to end my talk by saying that don’t
to end my talk by saying that don’t
to end my talk by saying that don’t forget your small home in this huge
forget your small home in this huge
forget your small home in this huge world connect with your people connect
world connect with your people connect
world connect with your people connect with the world connect with everyone
with the world connect with everyone
with the world connect with everyone will or your build all your gaps bridge
will or your build all your gaps bridge
will or your build all your gaps bridge all your bridges just become one respect
all your bridges just become one respect
all your bridges just become one respect your culture respect your country
your culture respect your country
your culture respect your country respect your language because that is
respect your language because that is
respect your language because that is something that should be the most
something that should be the most
something that should be the most important thing to us because it’s us I
important thing to us because it’s us I
important thing to us because it’s us I am an Indian that’s my identity if we
am an Indian that’s my identity if we
am an Indian that’s my identity if we lose that identity then I don’t know I
lose that identity then I don’t know I
lose that identity then I don’t know I think we’re going to lose ourselves
think we’re going to lose ourselves
think we’re going to lose ourselves thank you
”
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