Ravichandran Ashwin, made news with his comments on the role of Hindi in India at a private college event. During a graduation ceremony, Ashwin asked the students if they wanted to ask questions in Hindi, in case they were uncomfortable with English or Tamil. When the crowd went quiet, he explained that Hindi is not India’s national language.
In a thoughtful moment, Ashwin brought up the topic of language in India. After asking the students to respond based on their language choice, he pointed out the reaction change when he mentioned Hindi.“I thought I should say this: Hindi is not our national language; it is an official language,” he stated.
However, the controversial statement from the former off-spinner triggered many online users, and he faced a lot of criticism. People also accused him of using this controversial issue to get involved in the politics of Tamil Nadu, especially after he recently retired from all formats of international cricket.
Playing for India or against (dividing) it? Oh now that you retired, you want to try cheap DMK politics and divide us further? What happens to students from other states who funded this college and won't understand a word you said?
@ashwinravi99— KedarMehta (@Kedar_Mehta_) January 10, 2025
In the 1930s and 1940s, there was strong resistance in Tamil Nadu against making Hindi a required language in schools and government. The Dravidian movement, which aimed to support Tamil and protect the rights of Tamil speakers, was a key part of this opposition.
The 38-year-old ended his 14-year career, during which he took 765 international wickets in all three formats. He is considered one of the best spinners India has ever had. Ashwin is currently the seventh-highest wicket-taker in Test cricket history. He also has six centuries in Test matches.
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Jasir Basharat is a cricket enthusiast capturing the heart of the game through insightful analysis and storytelling sharing his passion for the sport through engaging narratives. He is a business graduate from University of Kashmir.
