MORE CBSE STUDENTS OPT FOR TELUGU

Parents from non-Telugu speaking states are showing an interest in getting their children, studying in CBSE schools, to learn and speak Telugu, which is extensively spoken in Hyderabad and Telangana.

These parents are from Rajasthan, Gujarat, Punjab, and South Indian states settled in Hyderabad for a long time. At home their children speak their mother tongue, but the parents want them to be conversant in Telugu as well.

“We tried to find out the reasons for the love of Telugu language. Parents want their children to be able to communicate and understand the language since in the near future these children will be assisting them in their business,” said DAV schools regional director Seetha Kiran. Many of these parents are from the Marwari and Patel communities.

For these children, the first language is English, and the second language is mostly Hindi. The third language is Telugu or Sanskrit, French/Spanish/German.

Ashish Naredi, who has a Rajasthan connection, is making his son study Telugu.

“I am in business and get to speak to a lot of Telugu customers. Having a basic knowledge of Telugu helps a lot and what better way than to learn basics in school,” he said.

Vasudha Ashok, principal of Panineeya Mahavidyalaya School, says that ironically, interest in Telugu language is dwindling among native Telugu speaking parents.

“Due to social status of learning a foreign language, parents select French or German or Spanish depending on what the school offers. Or they prefer Sanskrit, which is called the universal language," she said.