Bhubaneswar: Vice President M. Venkaiah Naidu urged students in the state to address their mothers as “Maa” instead of “Mummy” in order to promote their mother tongue.
He began his speech in Odia, wishing the people on Utkal Diwas. He was delivering the the 10th foundation lecture at SAI International School in Bhubaneswar on Monday where he shared five “Guru Mantras” with the students.
“Mother tongue is like eyesight and other languages are just spectacles. If you don’t have eyesight, you cannot improve even if you wear Ray-Ban glasses. Learn as many languages as you can. But never forget your mother tongue,” Naidu told the students.
He then listed the five Guru Mantras: Never neglect your parents; Never forget your native place; Promote, propagate and speak in your mother tongue only at home; Remember your motherland irrespective of caste, creed and religion; Always remember your Guru, as no Google can replace a Guru.
He also emphasised on the need for education on the country’s culture and tradition.
