By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 24 Apr: Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami today emphasised on the need for special efforts to connect the youth with employment through the Sanskrit language. Presiding over the 10th meeting of the General Committee of the Uttarakhand Sanskrit Academy at the Secretariat, here today, the CM directed the officials concerned that arrangements be made for certificate courses in Yagya, rituals, and the Vedas. He also stressed on a better training in the 16 Sanskaras for students studying Sanskrit.
The CM shared that, during the first phase, 100 children will receive training in the 16 Sanskaras, followed by a targeted initiative each year to impart this knowledge to a larger number of youth. Dhami asserted that individuals contributing significantly to the teaching, writing, preservation, and promotion of Sanskrit should also be honoured with annual honorariums.
Dhami also observed that Uttarakhand has been a sacred land of Yoga, AYUSH, Rishi-Munis, and Sanskrit. He stated that to further strengthen Sanskrit, debates, essay writing, and shloka competitions should be conducted in schools and colleges. He also directed that nodal officers be appointed in the districts to promote Sanskrit and that all office nameplates be also inscribed in the language. By studying the successful practices adopted in other states, more refined efforts should be undertaken to develop Sanskrit education in accordance with the National Education Policy 2020.
Sanskrit Education Minister Dhan Singh Rawat stated that currently, one village in each district has been designated a Sanskrit Gram, and the initiative will be expanded to the block level in a phased manner. He also proposed scholarship schemes for Sanskrit students and incentives for priests to support the language’s promotion. The committee members present on the occasion, suggested incorporating Sanskrit questions in competitive examinations and encouraging Sanskrit research.
A detailed discussion on the upcoming action plan for Sanskrit promotion was also held in the meeting. To make Sanskrit a commonly spoken language, a phased initiative will train one lakh individuals in simple Sanskrit conversation through online and offline mediums.
It was announced that Veda study centres would be established to facilitate learning, while Sanskrit schools demonstrating commendable work would be duly rewarded. Additionally, a competition will be organised for short films on contemporary topics in Sanskrit. A state-level conference would also be convened soon to exchange information on various programmes and activities related to Sanskrit preservation and promotion undertaken by universities, the Sanskrit Academy, and institutions across India and abroad.
Secretary, Sanskrit Education, Deepak Kumar provided an overview of current efforts and future plans for the advancement of Sanskrit in the state.
During the meeting, silence for two minutes was observed as a tribute to the innocent lives lost in the recent terrorist attack on tourists in Pahalgam, Jammu and Kashmir.
On the occasion, Principal Secretary RK Sudhanshu, Principal Secretary, Law, Pradeep Pant, Secretary V Shanmugam, Chancellor of Uttarakhand Sanskrit University Haridwar, Prof Dinesh Chandra Shastri, Additional Secretary Lalit Mahan Rayal, and other committee members were also present.
