“R Ashwin Sparks Debate On Hindi As National Language”

Ravichandran Ashwin, the Indian cricketer, sparked a fresh debate by stating that Hindi is “not our national language but an official language.” He made this comment during a graduation ceremony in Tamil Nadu, where the topic of Hindi has always been sensitive. Ashwin asked students if they would feel comfortable asking questions in Hindi, and when he mentioned it, the audience went silent. His remark comes at a time when several opposition parties, including Tamil Nadu’s ruling DMK, have criticized the central government for attempting to impose Hindi in southern states.

Ashwin also spoke about Team India’s captaincy, offering a diplomatic response: he prefers to work harder when told he can’t do something. He encouraged students to stay persistent in their journey, even during moments of doubt, drawing from his own experience in engineering and cricket.