Ravichandran Ashwin, speaking at a private college event, made headlines with his comments on both his career and the status of Hindi in India. Addressing the students during a graduation ceremony of the college, Ashwin said that Hindi is not the national language of India. The spinner was prompted to say this after the crowd fell silent when Ashwin asked the students if anyone was interested in asking questions in Hindi, in case they did not have proficiency in English or Tamil.
In a thought-provoking moment, Ashwin raised the issue of language in India. After asking the students to acknowledge him based on language preference, he noted the difference in reactions when he mentioned Hindi. “I thought I should say this: Hindi is not our national language; it is an official language,” Ashwin stated.
Ashwin, who is known for his candid views, shared that he never pursued the captaincy despite many speculating that he would take up the role. “When someone says I can’t do it, I wake up to accomplish it, but if they say I can, I lose interest,” Ashwin explained.
He also reflected on how his engineering background influenced his approach to challenges. “Had any engineering staff told me I couldn’t become captain, I would have worked harder,” he added, encouraging the students to stay focused and persistent when faced with doubts.
The cricketer also urged the audience to embrace lifelong learning, saying, “If you are a student, you will never stop. If you aren’t, learning will cease, and excellence will just be a word in your cupboard.”
The usage of Hindi is a sensitive issue in Tamil Nadu due to historical, cultural, and political factors that have shaped the state’s relationship with the language.
In the 1930s and 1940s, there was significant opposition in Tamil Nadu to the imposition of Hindi as a mandatory language in schools and government. The Dravidian movement, which sought to promote Tamil and assert the rights of Tamil speakers, played a central role in this opposition. The movement saw the push for Hindi as an attempt by the central government to undermine the cultural identity and linguistic heritage of Tamil speakers.
