Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s call to encourage Swadeshi and Swabhasha is not merely a cultural appeal but a strategic reminder of what sustains a civilisation. At a time when globalisation is blurring identities and homogenising lifestyles, the emphasis on local products and mother tongues seeks to restore balance between modern aspirations and civilisational continuity. India is not a monolithic nation linguistically or culturally. Factually, every state and UT has its own language, and many regions-such as J&K-are home to multiple languages and dialects, each carrying distinct histories, traditions and worldviews. Language is not just a medium of communication; it is a repository of collective memory. Customs, folklore, religious practices and social values are embedded in specific words and expressions that often have no true equivalent in other languages. When a language weakens, an entire way of life risks fading with it.
HM’s emphasis on using one’s mother tongue at home, especially while communicating with children, is therefore significant. Early language exposure shapes thought processes, emotional bonds and cultural awareness. While learning multiple languages is both desirable and empowering, the home remains the first and most influential classroom. Children rooted in their native language tend to carry a stronger sense of belonging to their family, region and heritage. This is not linguistic isolationism; rather, it is cultural grounding. Importantly, India’s constitutional framework already recognises this diversity. Almost all languages prevalent in the country have been granted official status for use at local and state government levels. In central government offices, too, special provisions and vacancies exist to promote the use of Hindi as the national language. This multilingual accommodation reflects India’s civilisational ethos-unity without uniformity.
Globally, English has emerged as a dominant medium of international communication, particularly in trade, technology and diplomacy. However, equating English proficiency with development is a flawed assumption. Several advanced nations provide practical counterexamples. Countries like China, Japan, and Russia conduct governance, education, scientific research, and industrial operations primarily in their native languages. Their economic and technological progress demonstrates that development is driven by vision, innovation and discipline-not by the language of communication alone.
For India, the challenge is not choosing between English and Indian languages but ensuring that native languages are not relegated to the margins. There should be no shame in speaking one’s mother tongue from any platform. In fact, Members of Parliament have taken oaths in their local languages, underlining the legitimacy and dignity of linguistic diversity. Knowing multiple languages is a matter of pride, but abandoning one’s own is a cultural loss.
Equally vital is the call for Swadeshi. Preferring locally made products is not a symbolic gesture; it is an economic strategy. Making it in India strengthens domestic manufacturing, generates employment, reduces import dependency, and builds self-reliance. Economic sovereignty, much like cultural sovereignty, rests on confidence in one’s own capabilities. A nation that consumes what it produces and values what it creates lays a strong foundation for sustainable growth. In this sense, Swadeshi is inseparable from the vision of Viksit Bharat.
History offers sobering lessons. Languages and communities have gone extinct not due to external aggression alone, but because traditions, skills and linguistic heritage were not passed on to subsequent generations. When people disconnect from their bhasha, they gradually lose the cultural compass that binds them together. At the same time, language must never become a tool of division or coercion. There should be no compulsion to learn a particular language to live or work in any state. Respecting local language is one issue; enforcing linguistic conformity is another. Language can never be a cause of enmity or a narrow definition of nationalism. India’s success for centuries has rested on its ability to absorb, adapt and coexist-unity in diversity is not a slogan but a lived reality.
In a world with diminishing barriers and accelerating change, the way forward is clear. Encouraging Swadeshi and Swabhasha strengthens economic resilience and cultural continuity without compromising openness. Rooted citizens are more confident global participants. A self-reliant economy and a linguistically self-assured society together form the bedrock of India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2047.
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