States must consider using local languages extensively in the day to day work; Innovation is the key to success in today’s world; Addresses the 9th Convocation of Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth .The Vice President of India, M, Venkaiah Naidu has said that language is a living tool - you must use it or you lose it. If we lose a language we lose an important part of cultural identity, he added. He was addressing the 9th Convocation of Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, in Pune, Maharshtra on March 29, 2018. The Guardian Minister for Pune, Maharashtra, Shri Girish Bapat and other dignitaries were present on the occasion.The Vice President quoting Mahatma Gandhi, said "We, the English educated Indians, often un consciously make assumption that the microscopic minority of English speaking Indians are the whole of India." All the states should consider using local languages extensively in the day to day work and it could also make it an integral part of school curriculum and an essential qualification for employment at appropriate levels in administration, he added.
Highlighting the importance of language learning in our education system, Vice President said that it is a reflection of our ideas and values, out thoughts and emotions. Language is a tool for transmission of culture and it is truly the life blood of a civilization, he added.The Vice President said that Mother tongue, the language of home, is the root of the huge tree of life. He further said that we must all learn our mother tongue well and one must ensure that this foundation is strengthened. We must constantly nourish it by speaking, writing and producing literature in the language and use it in schools, colleges and universities, he added.The Vice President said that innovation is the key to success in today’s world and don’t ape your predecessors or peers blindly. Think creatively to find solutions to the problems faced by the society, he added.The Vice President said that Higher education has a unique role in preparing torchbearers of tomorrow in different fields from medicine to management. It is essential for higher educational institutions to mould the next generation by inculcating the core values of patriotism, honesty, responsibility, discipline, compassion, respect for women and pluralism, he added.