Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday urged students to learn at least one additional Indian language besides their mother tongue, saying India’s linguistic diversity reflects its rich cultural heritage.
Addressing the inauguration of the Museum of Word at the National Library campus in Kolkata, Shah said language is the key to understanding a nation’s culture and encouraged every student to learn another Indian language to appreciate the country’s diversity.
The Minister described the Museum of Word as a new feather in Kolkata’s crown, highlighting its largest gallery, the ‘Timeline of Languages’. He said the museum will showcase the evolution of 22 Indian languages.
Shah noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the project in 2020, with its development carried out as per his vision. He said there is no place for narrow-mindedness in India and stressed that such thinking cannot define Indian culture or create barriers to understanding others.
Also present on the occasion was West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari, who said the Union Government is placing special emphasis on promoting the Bengali language with its full dignity and expanding its global recognition.
The first phase of the Museum of Word, being developed under the Union Ministry of Culture, has been completed at a cost of around Rs 14 crore, while the total project cost is estimated at around Rs 41 crore.
The museum will feature nine galleries displaying ancient manuscripts, inscriptions, preserved words, script evolution documents and interactive digital exhibits tracing the development of Indian languages.
According to government sources, the museum will serve as a permanent record of India’s multilingual cultural heritage while promoting equal status and wider appreciation of every language, including Bengali.
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