We are not ‘vishwaguru’ anymore: MM Joshi for Sanskrit bat

New Delhi: India is no longer a “vishwaguru” (global teacher) and the word should not be used, senior Bharatiya Janata Party leader Murli Manohar Joshi said on Monday as he called for greater promotion of Sanskrit and its use in quantum computing.Addressing reporters on the sidelines of an event here, Joshi also pushed hard for Sanskrit to be made the official language of India and said many people, including BR Ambedkar, had made efforts for this in the past but the proposals were not approved.He was addressing reporters at the inauguration ceremony of the central office of Sanskrit Bharati, an affiliate of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).When asked about his views on India’s role in promoting Sanskrit at a time when the country has become a ‘vishwaguru’ and is emerging as a hub for artificial intelligence, the former Union minister said: “The idea that we are a ‘vishwaguru’… I personally think we should avoid using this term these days. We are not “vishwaguru” yet. We should aspire to become ‘vishwaguru’. ” “It is true that we were once ‘vishwaguru’. However, the reality today is that we are not,” he said.From this perspective, Sanskrit is very important today, Joshi said, working towards greater promotion of this ancient language and its use in modern scientific pursuits, including quantum computing.“Sanskrit is the heritage not only of India but of the world. It is the oldest language. It is also the language of knowledge and science. It is the language of spirituality. It is also the language of technology. Sanskrit is the ‘prana’ (life force) of Bharat,” he said.“Even experts at NASA have repeatedly confirmed that Sanskrit is actually the most important computing language. In what is currently called quantum computing, Sanskrit will be crucial,” he said. “I believe if we make Sanskrit a computing language as soon as possible, it will be an unprecedented contribution from India,” he said. Supporting Sanskrit becoming the official language of India, Joshi said it will be a real achievement for India when a majority of the work is done in this ancient language.“While drafting the Constitution, Dr. Ambedkar also worked hard to make Sanskrit the official language of India. Several people made suggestions for this purpose. However, these suggestions were not adopted,” he said.“Nonetheless, my point is that even then, many people wanted Sanskrit to be the official language of India,” he added.Joshi also called on people, especially young people, to learn Sanskrit and gain knowledge from Sanskrit literature, claiming that this would benefit the country and the world.