Thyrocare’s Velumani shares his unique Hindi learning hack amid language row. 'Can you lift a buffalo?'

Thyrocare founder A Velumani recently shared insights on mastering Hindi through consistent practice, using an unusual buffalo analogy to explain his learning method. In a video he posted on social media, Velumani addressed a question about how a Tamil speaker can adapt in North India, emphasizing that language is the only barrier and that it can be overcome with regular effort.

The Buffalo Analogy

"Can you lift a buffalo?" Velumani asked the individual who posed the question. When the response was a clear "No, Sir," he continued, "Can you lift a newborn buffalo?" The boy answered, "Yes." Velumani elaborated further, "If it’s one day old? Two days old?" Each time, the boy confirmed he could. Concluding his analogy, Velumani stated, "Don’t give a single-day break… on the 300th day, you are lifting an adult buffalo."

Velumani's Personal Journey with Hindi

Sharing his personal experience, Velumani recounted how he mastered Hindi after moving to Mumbai. "When I went to Mumbai, I knew I had to learn Hindi. I purchased a first-standard book, then a second-standard book, then third, then fourth. Fifth-standard Hindi—I mastered in one year. Today, I am telling punchlines on the stage." Posting the video on Instagram, he captioned it: "This is how a weightlifter lifts 150 kgs. Start from basic. Add one by one. Do not give a break. You can do anything."

Language Policy Debates in India

His remarks come amid ongoing discussions on India's language policies. Tamil Nadu has strongly opposed the Centre's three-language policy under the National Education Policy (NEP), viewing it as an attempt to impose Hindi.

Meanwhile, Zoho's chief scientist Sridhar Vembu suggested Tamil Nadu should take cues from Andhra Pradesh and Kerala, where language is not politicized. "Here is the AP Chief Minister, talking about the importance of Hindi. Andhra Pradesh is our neighbor and culturally very close to Tamil Nadu. They don’t politicize language. Kerala does not politicize language either (and let’s say they don’t agree with the central government on many things). Something we should learn from our neighboring states?" Vembu wrote on X.

Views from Andhra Pradesh Leaders

Andhra Pradesh IT and Human Resources Development Minister Nara Lokesh has dismissed concerns about Hindi imposition, stating that India's linguistic diversity would prevent any forced adoption of the language. "I don't believe impositions will happen in India. I believe every state is unique. When I met the Education Minister, he was more focused on promoting Telugu as the medium of instruction in the state," Lokesh said at the India Today Conclave 2025.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu has also expressed support for learning multiple languages, calling Hindi a "national language" and encouraging students to embrace it for better communication. "I am telling this very clearly to you, language is not for hating. Here (in Andhra Pradesh) the mother tongue is Telugu. Hindi is the national language and the international language is English," Naidu stated in the Assembly.