Sarvesh Goel Advocates for Hindi Learning
Sarvesh Goel on Language, Identity, and the Joy of Learning Hindi
In a world where English proficiency is often seen as a benchmark of education, Sarvesh Goel, Chairman of GD Goenka Public School, Lucknow, offers a refreshing perspective that redefines language learning as a tool of cultural identity and inclusive education.
In his column featured in “Guru Hai Hum”, Goel reflects on his school days at an English medium institution where the emphasis was firmly on speaking English. However, instead of letting Hindi fade into the background, he and his friends began a journey of rediscovering their native language—one word at a time.
They would bring new Hindi words daily, discuss their meanings, and even used Hindi books to expand their vocabulary—an activity that sparked a love for language. “There were no mobile phones back then, so we used books to find new words,” he shares. This ritual turned into a favourite pastime, enriching their command over Hindi, proverbs, and idioms.
Breaking Language Stereotypes
Breaking Language StereotypesSarvesh Goel raises a pertinent point about modern-day bias: many people today only value education when it’s in English. He cautions against this mindset, stressing that a person’s literacy or intelligence should not be judged by their fluency in one language alone. “This thinking needs to change,” he asserts.
At GD Goenka Public School, where Goel leads as Chairman, students are exposed to a wide range of languages—Spanish, German, French, and even Sanskrit. He proudly narrates how his own daughter initially felt unsure about Sanskrit, but once she began studying it seriously, she not only enjoyed it but excelled in it.
Goel encourages all parents to shed the fear of classical languages and trust in their children’s ability to embrace them. His vision promotes multilingual literacy, where learning foreign languages enhances global readiness, but mother tongues like Hindi nurture identity, emotion, and heritage.
Hindi as a Cultural Foundation
By supporting Hindi and Sanskrit learning alongside global languages, Sarvesh Goel underscores the importance of cultural roots in education. He believes Hindi should be treated not merely as a subject, but as a mother tongue that carries emotional value—a bridge to family, community, and tradition.
Goel’s voice is not just one of leadership, but of thoughtful advocacy. He reminds us that education is most powerful when it includes both pride in one’s heritage and openness to the world.