Ship of Theseus director Anand Gandhi moved to Goa to synthesise big ideas and build an Indian sci-fi mythiverse with MAYA. ‘In a way, the job title in the East for this enterprise is the Buddha.’
The industry forecasts exports are set to grow 16% in 2025-26, boosted by surplus domestic production and a drive to push into 26 underserved global markets with strong potential.
Indigenisation level will progressively increase up to 60 percent with key sub-assemblies, electronics and mechanical parts being manufactured locally.
It is a brilliant, reasonably priced, and mostly homemade aircraft with a stellar safety record; only two crashes in 24 years since its first flight. But its crash is a moment of introspection.
During informal conversations, most people from Norther India and Pakistan actually speak Hindustani and not Hindi or Urdu respectively. Indeed, for a majority of Indians, North Indians included, the chaste, Sanskritised Hindi used in broadcasting, newspapers, railway station announcements, in aircrafts etc. is hard to follow. Ditto for Pakistanis who hear Arabicised Hindu spoken in TV.
This obsession with Hindi and Urdu in both these countries completely misses the fact that as communication tools, they confer little practical benefits and generate more political headaches. Indeed, in the case of Pakistan, Jinnah’s decision to impose Urdu over both wings of Pakistan was one of the factors that lead to the break up of that country. Similar resentments against the imposition and promotion of Hindi, often at the expense of other languages has been a detriment to creating cohesion in the country.
Correction: Sentence in second paragraph should read:
“Ditto for Pakistanis who hear Arabicised Urdu spoken on TV”
Apologies for the typo.
The author has deeply analyzed the linguistic situation of Abu Dhabi that shows his excellent command on sociolinguists.
In addition to Nepalese, Sri Lankans and Bangladeshis, Hindi is widely used as a means of communication by Pakistanis as well.
I would call it Hindustani not Hindi.
That is an important distinction that you make.
During informal conversations, most people from Norther India and Pakistan actually speak Hindustani and not Hindi or Urdu respectively. Indeed, for a majority of Indians, North Indians included, the chaste, Sanskritised Hindi used in broadcasting, newspapers, railway station announcements, in aircrafts etc. is hard to follow. Ditto for Pakistanis who hear Arabicised Hindu spoken in TV.
This obsession with Hindi and Urdu in both these countries completely misses the fact that as communication tools, they confer little practical benefits and generate more political headaches. Indeed, in the case of Pakistan, Jinnah’s decision to impose Urdu over both wings of Pakistan was one of the factors that lead to the break up of that country. Similar resentments against the imposition and promotion of Hindi, often at the expense of other languages has been a detriment to creating cohesion in the country.
Correction: Sentence in second paragraph should read:
“Ditto for Pakistanis who hear Arabicised Urdu spoken on TV”
Apologies for the typo.
The author has deeply analyzed the linguistic situation of Abu Dhabi that shows his excellent command on sociolinguists.