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Journalism of Courage
The topic of learning local languages has resurfaced online after a street interaction in Bengaluru went viral, featuring a young woman from Jammu who spoke fluent Kannada. Her clarity and confidence in addressing the matter left viewers impressed—and sparked conversations across social media.
“If you’re coming to Karnataka, the least you can do is learn the local language,” she says firmly. Then, switching effortlessly to Kannada, she adds, “So many people come here from outside that people from Karnataka don’t have space anymore. And on top of that, they demand that we speak in Hindi. Why can’t they learn Kannada?”
Her respectful but assertive stance prompted the host to respond with admiration: “You actually dropped something…your crown.”
The video struck a chord with Kannadigas online, especially on X (formerly Twitter). One user pointed out, “Outsiders that don’t know Kannada despite living here for years, u should learn from her.”
Another chimed in, “Nice, Indian first no doubt, but when you are going to stay more than 3 months or settle down in any place… you should learn the local language. At least learn some basics and respect the local language. Don’t demand like some people do in Bangalore.”
A third user wrote, “Only UP and bihar people don’t want to learn other states language, they just want to impose hindi on others.” A fourth individual shared, “Damn stupidity the way india and its state is progressing.”
Adding to the conversation, another video made rounds on social media recently. Shot in Mumbai, it shows people stumbling over a simple question: What is Bengaluru’s official language? The answers varied—Hindi, English, Malayalam, Tamil—but nobody mentioned Kannada. The video’s caption, “It’s not their fault…,” has sparked mixed reactions, ranging from disappointment to disbelief.
