Children learn concepts more effectively in their mother tongue, and Indian languages deserve greater recognition in education and public administration, Delhi Assembly Speaker Vijender Gupta said on Thursday, calling for greater efforts to preserve the country’s linguistic and literary heritage.
Addressing the inaugural session of the two-day Rachayita Literary Festival 2026 at Delhi University, Gupta said language and literature were central to a nation’s identity and cultural memory. He stressed that linguistic diversity should be encouraged without diminishing the importance of learning other languages.
Referring to Mahatma Gandhi’s views on education, Gupta said children understood concepts better when taught in their own language. He also invoked the contributions of Bharatendu Harishchandra, Rabindranath Tagore, Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay and Subramania Bharati, whose writings helped foster national consciousness and strengthen the freedom movement.
Gupta said language was more than a means of communication, as it carried a society’s traditions, emotions and collective memory. Citing the literary contributions of Kabir, Surdas, Mirabai and Tulsidas, he said India’s literary traditions had enriched regional languages while connecting people through a shared cultural heritage.
He also referred to India’s experience under foreign rule, saying indigenous languages and literary works had helped sustain the country’s cultural consciousness. Citing Japan, Germany, France and Israel, he argued that language and literature could help strengthen national identity and cultural confidence.
The Speaker highlighted the Delhi Legislative Assembly’s efforts to expand the use of Hindi in official correspondence and other activities. He also pointed to the potential of the Centre’s Bhashini platform, which uses translation, transcription and voice-based technologies to help people communicate across Indian languages and access information.
Calling on young people to read, write and create in their mother tongues, Gupta said literary activity was essential to preserving India’s cultural foundations. He urged students to view their native languages as living expressions of their identity and heritage.
He praised the Rachayita Literary Festival for bringing young researchers, writers and students together through discussions, poetry, seminars and creative competitions.
Held on October 29 and 30, the festival focuses on the relationship between language, literature, national identity, and cultural heritage.