There is a village in the same south India, where Hindi-hatred has been long drawn, wherein all of the population is learning the language. This is surprisingly happening at the same time when the southern Indian state governments are accusing the Centre of ‘imposing’ Hindi on them, and Kerala and Tamil Nadu have talked about every possible anti-Hindi protest. In the meanwhile, this village called Chelannur, situated in the Kozhikode district of Kerala, will officially become 100% Hindi literate by 26th January, 2023.
PP Nausheer, President of the Chelannur Gram Panchayat has said that a large number of Hindi-speakers work around the village, and in order to easily converse with them, the gram panchayat started the movement of teaching the villagers Hindi, and the people of the village are learning Hindi together, keeping aside all political and religious differences. Around 50 classes were arranged for people to learn Hindi at the village’s schools, sports club, libraries, and even at people’s houses. This campaign was for people aged between 20 and 70, but people aged till 76 came to learn Hindi.
Shashikumar, the Co-Ordinator of this movement, said that in the panchayat, 15, 897 people could not speak Hindi, while 9, 618 could not read it, and 9, 597 could not write it. These people were taught the language by students, social workers, and by the people who had returned from gulf countries. Hindi teachers prepared a course material for the villagers, and from 15th August, classes have been going on in all 21 wards. 7, 000 people participated in the same, in which the number of women is more, and from the next week, night classes will be commenced too. Till January, 100 more classes will be organized.
