Sanskrit as national language

[rrocher at sas.upenn.edu]

Is this an April 1 joke? Rosane Rocher.

Dominik Wujastyk wrote:
> 
> The Bhasaikatva policy
> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
> What do other INDOLOGists think of the new policy recently announced
> whereby over the next seven years the Indian Government will phase in
> Sanskrit as the language of all administrative documentation and
> communication?  Apparently the idea is that by the year 2001, senior
> government officials will be sufficiently knowledgable in Sanskrit that
> English will at last be ousted from the constitution as a national
> language of India.  This will expunge once and for all the last
> lingering traces of British imperialism, and underline the great
> historical roots of India's own culture.  The accompanying massive
> program of translation that has been proposed, of European-language
> texts on science, technology and economics into Sanskrit, will be a
> most interesting new development for all of us.  It may even provide
> work for some of our needy grad students!
> 
> Dominik
> 
> 
> Unccl Ncevy 1fg!
> 
>  
>