Interest of Narendra Modi for Sanskrit

Narendra Modi is trying to reach out to his party's core voters in the language of the Vedas.

Days after he advocated construction of toilets before temples, his public relations machinery is out with the Sanskrit version of his official portal, narendramodi.in. While his comments like toilet first and then temples have irked many, the Sanskrit portal may help him deepen the connection with a particular section — seers, followers of scriptures and staunch believers of Hinduism — who form a committed group of BJP's voters.

The portal is already available in three languages — Gujarati, Hindi and English.

Modi, who tweets in 10 Indian languages and has e-books by or on him in couple of Indian languages, through the Sanskrit version symbolically pays his tribute to the ancient language that is no longer in use in day-to-day life.

"This was Modi's idea. He wanted the portal in Sanskrit," said a government official, adding that it's a "joint effort of the information technology team and a Sanskrit writer".

Modi's love for Sanskrit is well known; he facilitated the establishment of a Sanskrit university at Somnath.

His brief biography, tenure as CM, achievements, presence in international circuit, the BJP, awards bagged by Gujarat are some of the pages available in Sanskrit. The new version has Modi's selected blogs and speeches in Sanskrit. His quotes have been compiled under the title, Avtaraani. What the Sanskrit version doesn't offer is an update on events and functions on a day to today basis.

"Unlike the English version, the Sanskrit one is not likely to get frequent updates," said a source. The Sanskrit version gives readers a platform to communicate with Modi in the language by leaving him a message or invite in a special dialogue box.

Check it here:
http://www.indianexpress.com/news/now-cm-s-official-portal-has-a-sanskrit-version/1186114/

Academy proposes Sanskrit-speaking camps to promote language

The Sanskrit Academy, Chandigarh, in collaboration with Department of Sanskrit, PU, is organising an Inter-University Sanskrit Speech Competition on September 29. Gurpreet Kaur Sapra, Director Higher Education, UT will be the chief guest at the event aimed at creating awareness about the Sanskrit language.

Universities across northern India, including Delhi University (DU), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, New Delhi, Himachal Pradesh University (HPU), Shimla, Rashtriya Sansthan, New Delhi, Kurukshetra University and Panjabi University, Patiala are expected to participate. Also, students from city colleges, including Government College, Sector 11, Post Graduate Government College for Girls, Sector 42, MCM DAV College, Sector 36 are expected to participate.

Udyan Arya, Director of Sanskrit Academy said, "The Academy was founded on July 2, 2012 by students of the Department of Sanskrit, along with IAS officers, advocates and scientists who came forward to invoke students' interest in Sanskrit. We have already organised around 15 Sanskrit-speaking camps."

Talking about the importance of the language, Arya said the youth needed to be encourage to learn the Vedic language that was the source for any kind of knowledge.

http://www.indianexpress.com/news/academy-proposes-sanskritspeaking-camps-to-promote-language/1174386/