Fri Feb 21 21:07:11 UTC 2025: ## Tripura Minister Questions Emphasis on English, Celebrates Mother Tongue Day
**Agartala, India** – Tripura’s Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Ratan Lal Nath, sparked debate on Friday by questioning the overemphasis on English language education in India. Speaking at the silver jubilee celebration of International Mother Language Day in Agartala, Nath pointed to the scientific and technological advancements of countries like Russia and China, despite their focus on indigenous languages.
Nath, addressing students in both Kokborok and Bengali, highlighted the linguistic harmony within Tripura, where communities readily communicate in each other’s languages. He criticized the previous Left Front government for neglecting Kokborok, the language of Tripura’s tribal communities. He urged attendees to pledge to enrich their mother tongues while respecting others, stating that while English is important for global communication, emotional expression is strongest in one’s native language. He cited his experience in Russia where translators were used, rather than English being the primary language of communication.
The event coincided with the Bangladesh Assistant High Commission’s observance of International Mother Language Day, commemorating the 1952 Language Movement in Bangladesh. Assistant High Commissioner Arif Mohammad emphasized the importance of respecting all mother tongues.
The celebrations also included the launch of the Tripura Literature Festival, featuring prominent guests such as former astronaut Rakesh Sharma and Booker Prize winner Gitanjali Shree. The festival, held at Rabindra Shatabarshiki Bhawan, further underscores the state’s commitment to celebrating linguistic diversity. The unrelated launch of xAI’s new AI model, Grok 3, was also noted.
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