Lack of initiative in preserving language will cost us dearly: Rajiv Malhotra

By Divya Shekhar

Indian-American entrepreneur-turned-researcher and author Rajiv Malhotra believes western scholars are “hijacking“ Sanskrit and the lack of initiative among Indians would cost the country dear.

The 64-year-old founder of the Princeton-based Infinity Foundation, which provides support for research and education in Hinduism and Indic studies, told ET that the lack of public discourse about Indian civilisation and culture has led to a vacuum that is appropriated by westerners.“Western scholars are distorting it with their own ideas and per spectives and they are making a killing,“ he said. Malhotra said that the lack of initiative in preserving the language will cost Indians dearly. “The disconnect from our roots is a source of anxiety and complexes.

We lack a sense of pride in our own culture and identity ,“ he said, adding that while Nasa is in the process of studying Panini's grammar for implementation in the field of computational linguistics, Indians are just acting as suppliers assisting with coding.

Malhotra, who spoke about cultural issues being at the centre of political debates at the Jaipur Literature Festival in January , pointed out that at the cost of funding one American scholar and translator, ten scholars in India could be encouraged. “It is fashionable for us Indians to be associated with a foreign university . Rather than funding activities abroad, we can raise scholarship in India,“ he said.

Regressive ideas projected by political elements in the name of Hinduism would take the country backward, Malhotra said, referring to BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj's statement that every Hindu woman should have four children.