Tribune News Service
Shimla, July 27
The government is planning to open a Sanskrit university in Himachal Pradesh.
This was stated by Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur while presiding over the first meeting of the Himachal Pradesh Sanskrit Academy through video-conferencing here today.
He said the land was being identified for the univesrity. Scholars and the Sanskrit Academy should come forward with suggestions to make it a common man’s language so that students could be motivated to study the language.
“The government has accorded the status of second language to Sanskrit as it is a language which is rich in vocabulary, literature, thoughts and ideas, meanings and values, so all possible efforts will be made to popularise it,” he said.
He said Sanskrit was still taught in some schools in India and abroad. “Even Prime Minister Narendra Modi has lauded the decision of the government to accord the status of second language to Sanskrit and possible efforts would be made to make it more simple and practical,” he said.
Education Minister and Vice-Chairman Sanskrit Academy Suresh Bhardwaj said Himachal Pradesh was the second state after Uttarakhand to give Sanskrit the status of second language. The government would also ensure that schoolchildren, willing to opt for the language, had adequate opportunities at various levels.
Secretary, Himachal Pradesh Sanskrit Academy, Dr Bhaktvatsal welcomed the Chief Minister and apprised him of various activities of the academy.
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