Back in class after three decades
You are never too old or too young to learn a new language. Shashikala Chandrashekar (53) and L. D. Chandrashekar (59), who sit among a group of teenagers and college students studying German at the Centre for Global Languages, Bangalore University, are proof. Both are thrilled to return to the classroom after more than three decades.
According to their teacher, Kamala S. Iyer, the husband and wife motivate the other students and are always ready to participate in group activities. Ms. Shashikala, an abacus teacher, decided to learn German along with her husband last August. “Sitting with students and thinking like them is a great motivation,” says Mr. Chandrashekar.
The couple is currently pursing an eight-month course and plans to complete the more advanced levels as well.
Ms. Shashikala says she had initially thought they would feel out of place, but soon found out that age was no barrier. “Even after a strenuous day, I feel refreshed if I go sit in class,” she says. There are times she has to put in extra effort as she finds it difficult to remember certain concepts, but Ms. Shashikala is happy to go the extra mile.
Ask her husband if they compete with each other, and he’s quick to say, “The intention of the course is to help people collaborate rather than compete.”
The German way to Vedas
People at the Centre for Global Languages, Bangalore University, come from diverse backgrounds. Take for example 37-year-old Raghavendra Mokshgundan, a B.E. graduate who is also an astrologer, a vaastu teacher and a Hindu priest.
Despite his hectic schedule, Mr. Mokshgundan has already completed a basic certificate course in German. The knowledge will help him in his research on the Vedas. Fluency in the language could also help him access German literature on the Vedas. “I felt that learning the language would help me decode the Vedas. I want to be proficient in writing and reading (German). I am only improving,” he said.
