Page 60 - Mann Ki Baat English August 2023

Chamu Krishna Shastry
Padma Shri and Co-founder of Samskrita Bharati

Imparting Knowledge and Preserving

Culture through Sanskrit

Recently, on August 31, 2023, the world celebrated ‘World Sanskrit
Day’. During his address on 'Mann ki Baat,' Prime Minister Narendra
Modi congratulated and discussed the various campaigns and
efforts of 'Samskrita Bharati,' an organization aimed at increasing
awareness about Sanskrit. Our Doordarshan team talked to Chamu
Krishna Shastry, the Co-founder of ‘Samskrita Bharati’ about the
importance of Sanskrit language and its contribution in the society.

Sanskrit is undeniably an The Ministry of Education
important language of India. has established a specialized
Since India gained independence, division known as the
Sanskrit has played a pivotal role Department of Indian Knowledge
in coining new words in all Indian Traditions, also referred to as
languages, particularly in fields the Indian Knowledge System.
like science and technology. Recently, they introduced the
Many Sanskrit words have National Education Policy,
been integrated into Indian NEP-2020, which emphasizes
languages in the past, and they the inclusion of lessons about
continue to be in use today. Indian knowledge traditions in
When Indian languages share all school subjects and higher
common words and phrases, it education. The responsibility
facilitates better understanding for implementing this policy
among people. Moreover, the falls under the purview of the
sound and sentence structures Indian Knowledge System
of many Indian languages bear (IKS) department. Additionally,
a resemblance to Sanskrit. research centres are being set
Therefore, the incorporation up in various parts of the country
of Sanskrit words into Indian under the IKS department,
languages can contribute to with funds being provided for
their further development and research projects. Currently,
refinement. people are accessing Indian

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