Ravi Ashwin sparks a debate with his remarks about Hindi

For a player as bold and expressive about his stance on varied matters, it's difficult for Ravichandran Ashwin to stay out of the headlines for long. The cricketer recently announced his retirement from international cricket after assessing the unavailability of a spot for him in the team for the Border Gavaskar Trophy. Upon his return from Australia, Ashwin has significantly increased his presence on social media, with his YouTube channel running at full pace and his cheeky presence on X, previously Twitter.

While the dust surrounding the circumstances of his retirement has not yet settled, Ashwin finds himself in another controversy. Speaking at a graduation ceremony at a private engineering college in Tamil Nadu, Ashwin openly expressed his stance on the Hindi language. Hindi is widely regarded as the primary language of conversation across India. Incidentally, the instance occurred on the day India celebrates "Hindi Diwas."

Ashwin reopens language debate with his latest interaction in Tamil Nadu

It's no secret that India has recently been engulfed in heated debates over language. People in the southern parts of the country, particularly in Bangalore and Tamil Nadu, have taken a firm stance against the use of Hindi in their city and state, respectively. Amidst the ongoing debate, Ashwin shared his perspective as he spoke about the language. At a graduation ceremony in Tamil Nadu, Ashwin asked the students to choose their preferred language of conversation.

A loud cheer greeted him when he suggested English as an option. The crowd's response was even louder when he mentioned Tamil. However, the atmosphere fell silent when Ashwin brought up Hindi. The off-spinner then shared his opinion, stating that Hindi is not our "official language."

"Hindi, no response. I thought I will say it (Hindi) is not our national language, but (only) an official language," Ashwin said as he enjoyed a joyous applause from the students.

The opposition for Hindi in the southernmost state of India is an ever-running debate and a frequent source of agitation. Tamil Nadu has consistently resisted the imposition of Hindi, with the state witnessing significant anti-Hindi agitations in 1935 and 1965. The state remains the only one in India to adhere strictly to a two-language policy, incorporating Tamil and English. This policy decision, made in 1968 under the leadership of then Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai, continues to guide the state's approach to language.