AMRITSAR: Former cabinet minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla has voiced her concern regarding the widespread discontinuation of Sanskrit education in schools across Punjab and has appealed to the chief minister Bhagwant Mann, as well as to educationists and philanthropists, to actively promote the teaching of Sanskrit within the state's educational institutions.
In a release issued on Saturday, she questioned: "Is it not a fact that Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth master of the Sikh community, sent his disciples to Varanasi to learn Sanskrit?". She said that a thorough understanding of Sanskrit was essential to comprehend the 'gurbani' written by Guru Gobind Singh."
Additionally, she also pointed out that Sanskrit was intricately linked to the fulfillment of the 16 sanskar (sacraments) of life.
The former Punjab cabinet minister claimed that Sanskrit education in Punjab schools was discontinued in 2002. Currently, only a few private schools were providing education in Sanskrit language. She cited an example where the principal of a women's college in Punjab, holding a Ph.D. in Sanskrit, was teaching Hindi instead.
"In the past, students from Himachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and other states used to come to Punjab for Sanskrit education. They were provided with food and accommodation. However, this practice has ceased," she said.
She asked the Punjab government to prioritize the revival of the Sanskrit language, advocating for its reintroduction in both school and college curricula. Chawla also appealed for support from educationists and philanthropists to collaborate in advancing the cause.
