Tue Feb 11 20:12:00 UTC 2025: ## Uttarakhand Designates 13 “Ideal Sanskrit Villages” to Promote Ancient Language
**Dehradun, Uttarakhand –** The Uttarakhand government has launched an initiative to revitalize the Sanskrit language by designating one village in each of its 13 districts as an “Adarsh (ideal) Sanskrit village.” Announced Tuesday by State Education Minister Dhan Singh Rawat, the program aims to promote Sanskrit, described by the minister as the “language of the gods,” and connect younger generations with India’s philosophical and knowledge traditions.
The initiative, which began as a pilot project in 2019 under the previous BJP government, will see special instructors training villagers in daily Sanskrit communication. Residents will be encouraged to incorporate Sanskrit verses from the Vedas, Puranas, and Upanishads into religious rites, and women and children will be encouraged to sing Sanskrit religious songs during festivals. The program specifically includes encouraging children from Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes to learn Sanskrit to foster harmony.
Thirteen villages have already been selected, spanning both the Garhwal and Kumaon regions of the state. The government also operates over 100 Sanskrit-medium schools. The initiative underscores the state’s commitment to preserving and promoting its second official language.
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