While we all approach our North Indian friends staying in Karnataka to learn Kannada, here is a guy who teaches Kannada to the people in Bengal. Interestingly, people, especially from West Bengal, are keen on learning Kannada because many migrate to Bengaluru for jobs in the IT sector.
Surprise Gesture By the People of Bengal
Sumanth S, a 22-year-old reached Visva Bharathi University, a public central university in Santiniketan, West Bengal. He went there as part of his MSc agricultural extension course last year. However, Sumant was very surprised as he was warmly welcomed by the people when they came to know that he was from Karnataka.
In the meantime, people got more curious as they came to know that he had earlier done an internship with Adike Patrike, which was a popular magazine amongst the students in Bengal. Adike Patrike is a Kannada agriculture magazine published from Puttur in Dakshina Kannada district whose editor is Shree Padre who is also called as rain waterman of India.
Keen to learn Kannada
Sumant told, “At the campus, I was surprised to know that people were very keen to learn Kannada. I never knew that Adike Patrike, which works on the basis of self-help journalism was popular here. The magazine was popular among the students and researches as they use to analyze the magazine’s contents. However, people here in West Bengal are keen on learning Kannada because many migrate to Bengaluru for jobs in the IT sector.”
Sumanth launched his Kannada classes for 10 students in July last year after he asked them to teach Bengali in return. Including, three of his roommates from Tamil Nadu, were also keen to learn Kannada. Gradually, other students also joined these classes and by the end of the year, he had 20 students. Additionally, he also helps local school children with English and Maths and in return, he learns Bengali and Santali.
Source: TOI
