Prime Minister Narendra Modi today referred to Tanzanian siblings Kili and Neema - who became social media sensations for their lip sync videos on popular Indian songs - during his Mann Ki Baat address as he urged youngsters to showcase the country's diversity to the new generation.
The Tanzanian siblings have created ripples on social media by lip-syncing several Indian songs, including the country's national anthem on Republic Day.
"As a part of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, youth can make videos of popular songs of Indian languages in their own way," PM Modi said, adding that people of one state making videos with songs of another state will make them experience "Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat" (One India, great India).
"I would emphasise about mother tongue that as our mother moulds our life, in the same manner, mother tongue also shapes our life.
"The mother and mother tongue, both together strengthen the foundation of life, lending it permanence. Just like we cannot abandon our mother, similarly, we cannot leave our mother tongue either," PM Modi said.
The world's oldest language Tamil is in India and every Indian should be proud of this significant heritage, he said.
In the same way, many ancient scriptures have found expression in Sanskrit.
People should speak their language with pride, he said, adding India is incomparable in its richness of languages.
"Language is not just a medium of expression, but also serves to preserve the culture and heritage of the society," the prime minister said.
The people of India are proud to be associated with 121 forms of mother tongues and 14 of these languages are spoken by more than one crore people in everyday life, he said.
"In 2019, Hindi was ranked third among the most spoken languages of the world. Every Indian should be proud of this too. Language is not just a medium of expression, but also serves to preserve the culture and heritage of the society," the prime minister said.
"Mother tongues have their own science. For understanding this science, emphasis has been laid on studies in the local language in the National Education Policy. Efforts are being made that our professional courses are also taught in the regional languages," he said.
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