Assembly Deputy Speaker Mandali Buddha Prasad on Thursday expressed anguish over the Central Government’s failure to establish a national institution for promotion of Telugu language on the lines of Kendriya Hindi Shikshan Mandal (KHSM).
Participating in the two-day national seminar on ‘Globalization: Hindi Katha Sahitya,’ organised by Sri Durga Malleswara Siddhartha Mahila Kalasala here, he said that one of the main objectives of KHSM was to provide more facilities for Hindi teaching and research.
The same initiative was lacking when it came to promotion of Telugu language. “We request the Government to establish a national institute for promotion of Telugu language. It is more important as two Telugu speaking States are established now,” he said.
Underscoring the need for protecting the culture, he said that usage of Telugu language was on the decline among people. “Some families are hesitating to speak in our mother tongue. It’s a disturbing trend,” he said.
South Central Railway (SCR) Vijayawada Divisional Manager Pradeep Kumar said that the SCR was displaying names of the stations first in Telugu and later in Hindi and English. However, transfer and posting orders were being issued in Hindi and English only. “There is reluctance among people in Vijayawada to speak in Hindi even though the issue is not as serious as in neighbouring Tamil Nadu,” he explained.
Speakers from University of Hyderabad, PG and Research Institute-DBHPS in Chennai, Dakshina Bharata Rajabasha Samsthanam in Visakhapatnam, Kakatiya University in Warangal, Film Research Institute in Hyderabad, Andhra Loyola College in Vijayawada, Kanchi Deemed University and Pondicherry University would participate in the two-day seminar.
Sri Durga Malleswara Siddhartha Mahila Kalasala College Principal T. Vijayalakshmi, Head of Department of Hindi A. Ramalakshmi and other dignitaries attended the inaugural session.
