The Himachal Government has accorded the status of second language to Sanskrit as it is rich in vocabulary, literature, thoughts and ideas, meanings and values, Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur said on Monday. Presiding over the first meeting of Himachal Pradesh Sanskrit Academy through video conferencing, the Chief Minister said that Sanskrit language, whatever be its antiquity, was more perfect than the Greek, more copious than the Latin, and more exquisitely refined than both of these. He said that Sanskrit was the oldest and the most continually used language in the world.
He said the State Government was contemplating to open a Sanskrit University in the State for which land was being identified. He said that Sanskrit scholars and Sanskrit Academy should come forward with suggestions to make this language as a common man language so that students could be motivated to study the language.
Education Minister and Vice Chairman Sanskrit Academy Suresh Bhardwaj said that Himachal Pradesh was second State after Uttarakhand to give Sanskrit a status of second language. He said that the State Government would also ensure that the school children willing to opt for Sanskrit language have adequate opportunities at various levels.