PM Modi encourages people to use mother tongue, quotes example of U'khand's Rung community

In his 59th edition of the Mann Ki Baat radio program, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared how the people of the Rung community came together to protect their local language called 'Runglo' in Uttarakhand's Dharchula.

"Recently I read a story about Uttarakhand's Dharchula. This story tells us how some people are coming forward to promote their language. Dharchula got my attention because I used to stay there," PM Modi said.

"There are a lot of people of Rung community living in Pithoragarh's Dharchula. These people converse in the local language called Runglo. They used to get sad knowing that people speaking the language were reducing. So one day, all resolved to protect their language and very soon many rung community people joined this mission," he added.

"You will be surprised to know that there are around 10,000 people in this community only. But each of them got together to protect their language. Be it 84-year-old Deewan Singh or 22-year-old Vaishali Garbyal, everyone got involved. Social media was also used and Whatsapp groups were formed and many people were associated," the Prime Minister further said.

"There is no script of this language. People started posting songs, stories, poems and correcting each other. In a way, Whatsapp became a classroom where everyone was a teacher and a student. In the effort to preserve Runglo language, various programs are being organised," Modi said.

"150 years ago, father of modern Hindi Bhartendu Harishchandra Ji had said that progress is not possible without the knowledge of mother tongue. So this initiative of Rung community shows the way to the world. So if you are feeling motivated with this story then start using your mother tongue," he added.