Govt. to celebrate Sanskrit Week

By Our Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI, AUG. 2. Undeterred by the criticism against using scarce resources to set up `Simple Sanskrit Speaking Centres' under the aegis of the University Grants Commission (UGC), the Government has now decided to celebrate Sanskrit Week every year in the first week of August as part of its ongoing effort to use the classical language as a tool for national integration. Though the decision to celebrate `Shravani Purnima' as Sanskrit Day was taken way back in 1969 and even today critics of saffronisation of education have nothing against the study of the language, the Government's latest decision is likely to raise a number of eyebrows; particularly because of the link that is sought to be established between Sanskrit and national integration.

Highlighting ``the importance of Sanskrit as a potent factor in national integration'', the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) has written to the Education Secretaries of all States and Union Territories, and the Vice-Chancellors of universities with Sanskrit Departments informing them about the decision and suggesting measures to popularise the ``mother'' of most Indian languages.

That the effort is to broadbase Sanskrit is evident from the activities suggested by MHRD for Sanskrit Week. According to the Ministry, programmes highlighting popular aspects of the language and literature could be organised to ``arouse popular interest in Sanskrit''. Earlier this year, the University Grants Commission (UGC) had decided to set up `Simple Sanskrit Speaking Centres' in selected universities to facilitate better understanding of the country's heritage and provide a window to the scientific achievements of ancient India.

For this academic year, the UGC had set aside Rs. 1 crore from its budget for setting up these centres even as cash- strapped universities across the country clamoured for higher allocation for their regular courses. As per the UGC proposal, 50 such centres are to be set up in various universities this year with an annual allocation of Rs. 2 lakhs.

But even as the Government is stepping up its efforts to revive interest in Sanskrit, progress is slow if not on the wane. Though the Government had provided Rs. 14 crores for all the schemes under the `Development of Sanskrit' in the last financial year, the demand from States for financial assistance under this scheme appears to have tapered off.

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Section  : National
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