New Delhi, Aug 28: Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Vice-President C. P. Radhakrishnan extended greetings on World Sanskrit Day, highlighting the importance of preserving Sanskrit and passing its rich cultural and intellectual heritage on to future generations.
Pic Credit: Pexel
Prime Minister Modi praised the contribution of Sanskrit to India’s cultural, intellectual and linguistic traditions. He also appreciated the efforts of scholars, teachers and organisations in India and abroad working to promote, teach and preserve the language.
Vice-President Radhakrishnan also extended his greetings on the occasion and stressed the importance of keeping Sanskrit relevant for younger generations.
World Sanskrit Day, also known as Sanskrit Diwas or Vishva Sanskrit Diwas, is observed on Shravana Purnima, the full-moon day of the Shravana month in the Hindu calendar. This year, the occasion falls on August 28.
Sanskrit has a history dating back thousands of years, with its early roots linked to the Vedic period around 1500 BCE. It became an important language of India’s scriptures, philosophy, literature and scholarly traditions.
Over the centuries, Sanskrit was used extensively in works covering subjects such as philosophy, grammar, mathematics, astronomy, medicine, literature and linguistics. Its influence can also be seen in the development of several Indian languages and cultural traditions.
The formal observance of Sanskrit Day in India began in 1969, following an initiative by the Government of India to promote greater awareness and interest in the language.
The day encourages students and the wider public to learn about Sanskrit and understand its contribution to India’s cultural and knowledge heritage. Schools, colleges, universities and cultural organisations mark the occasion through activities such as Sanskrit speech and essay competitions, shloka recitations, seminars, workshops, lectures and discussions.
Sanskrit’s literary heritage includes major works such as the Ramayana, Mahabharata and the writings of Kalidasa. The grammatical work of Panini is also regarded as a landmark in the development of linguistic studies.
While Sanskrit is not widely used as a daily spoken language today, it continues to be studied in educational and research institutions. It remains important for understanding India’s classical literature, philosophy, traditional knowledge and cultural history.
Government programmes and educational institutions continue to support Sanskrit through scholarships, research initiatives, institutional assistance and efforts to preserve rare texts. Cultural organisations also conduct language-learning programmes to make Sanskrit more accessible to younger learners.
World Sanskrit Day provides an opportunity to celebrate the language’s long history while encouraging a renewed interest in its literature and knowledge traditions. The messages from Prime Minister Modi and Vice-President Radhakrishnan underline the importance of ensuring that Sanskrit remains connected with future generations.