Language Policy of Ramakotiswara Rau

I knew the late Mr. Ramakotiswara Rau more by his magazine Triveni than through personal contacts with him. We met very occasionally. He used to honour me with a visit whenever he came to Bangalore and found time.

I have been a great admirer of Triveni and admired the way he maintained its high literary standard in spite of difficulties which should have unnerved most of the editors.

The other contributors to this special issue will tell, from their long and intimate relations with him, of his life and work, his patriotic sacrifices and literary achievements. I will content myself with a short reference to his linguistic policies.

When Mahatma Gandhi inaugurated the non-violent non-cooperation movement and called on lawyers to give up practice in the law courts, and teachers and students to quit educational institutions controlled by British Rulers, Ramakotiswara Rau gave up his practice as a lawyer and joined the Andhra Jateeya Kalasala Masulipatam to impart “national education” to students. He taught politics and history. With commendable linguistic patriotism, he adopted Telugu as a medium of his lectures. As he was himself educated through the medium of English, he drew on books in that language to give his lectures in Telugu. In the nature of things, his services through Telugu were limited to the Telugu speaking people.

Later on, his mission expanded and took in the whole of India when he started Triveni. He wished that every Indian, whatever was his individual mother-tongue, should have access to the best and the most elevated thoughts expressed in all the languages, Indian, and even non-Indian. To achieve this broader mission he conducted Triveni in English. In doing so, he was not less, but more, patriotic and wise, as he served a much wider, nation-wide audience. His adoption of English has compelling significance in the present circumstances when the nation is being cut up into linguistic enclaves, hampering national unity and national outlook.