Despite objections from states like Tamil Nadu, the idea of making Hindi a mandatory language across India is a necessary, intriguing, yet risky initiative.

Setting aside electoral politics, both Hindi and English are rapidly gaining prominence today. People who understand and speak both languages can be found everywhere.

Read in Hindi: एकता की भाषा है हिंदी या विवाद की वजह...!

In major cities of Kerala, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu, Hindi is no longer as alien or ‘foreign’ as it once was. Stalin is compelled to stir emotions before elections, but in other southern states, the three-language formula is now acceptable and faces less opposition.

Just as US President Trump established English as the national language, Hindi proponents argue that such a step could streamline communication and strengthen national identity. Pune-based teacher Sunil Pathak says, "A common language can unite a nation. India is home to over 1,600 languages, and this diversity is part of the country's cultural heritage. But it also creates barriers to communication. Using Hindi as a unified medium can help break these barriers, fostering better interaction among citizens of different states."

Another argument in favor of making Hindi mandatory revolves around the historical and cultural significance of Hindi and Sanskrit. Both languages are written in the Devanagari script, and many cultural and religious practices already use Sanskrit, deeply embedding it in the Indian psyche. Hindi, as an evolved form of Hindustani, has substantial roots in Indian tradition, making it a suitable candidate for widespread acceptance.

Moreover, statistics show that an increasing number of Indians, including individuals from Muslim communities, are already proficient in Hindustani, a blend of Hindi and Urdu used colloquially, which could ease the transition to formally adopting Hindi nationwide, as Urdu is no longer perceived as a foreign language.

Mass media has played a significant role in popularizing Hindi on a large scale. Television channels, movies, and social media platforms have contributed significantly to its usage, fostering a sense of shared experience among audiences and users across the country. Platforms like YouTube have enabled Hindi content creators to reach vast audiences, strengthening the language's presence in the digital age. Observing these trends, the growing acceptance of Hindi from the northeastern states like Manipur to southern cities like Bangalore demonstrates its potential to bridge cultural divides.

This discourse also includes the concept of migration and increased mobility. As Indians move across states for education, work, or other reasons, the need for a common language becomes increasingly evident. Hindi primarily offers an efficient way to communicate in multilingual environments. For the NRI community, Hindi remains a prominent language.

However, linguistic diversity is not merely a matter of communication but is deeply tied to regional identity, cultural heritage, and historical pride. For instance, Tamil Nadu boasts a rich literary and cultural tradition that is thousands of years old, with Tamil being one of the world's oldest living languages. The state has consistently opposed the imposition of Hindi, viewing it as a threat to its linguistic and cultural identity. The anti-Hindi movements of the 1960s were a clear reflection of this sentiment, and the issue remains emotionally charged today.

Locals in several cities of south India acknowledge that while Hindi has gained widespread popularity through mass media, films, and social media platforms, this does not mean it has been accepted as a mandatory national language. The organic growth of a language is fundamentally different from its imposition by the state. TV Natarajan argues that Tamil is older and richer than Sanskrit, and Dravidian culture and literature differ from the Hindi-speaking belt. "Why aren't South Indian languages taught in North India?" Interestingly, more than 50 per cent of words in Kannada, Telugu, and Malayalam are derived from Sanskrit, but only 15 per cent in Tamil.

In Bengaluru, the consensus is to keep language separate from politics. Groups of regional literature enthusiasts have raised flags against Hindi imposition. "The opposition to Hindi is not driven by English supporters but by local language literary circles, as Hindi's popularity and acceptance are growing day by day," says Padmini Iyer.

The idea of making Hindi mandatory is appealing from the perspective of unity and communication, but its implementation requires sensitivity and consensus. India's linguistic diversity is its strength, and Hindi should be promoted as a shared language while preserving this diversity.