Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated 13 model Sanskrit villages, one in each district of Uttarakhand, on Sunday, marking a pioneering effort to revive Sanskrit as a living language. Speaking at R.P. Vidyalaya in Bhogpur, Dehradun, Dhami announced plans to establish primary Sanskrit schools and construct dedicated Sanskrit buildings in these villages, aiming to integrate the “Devvani” (language of God) into daily life.

The Adarsh Sanskrit Gram initiative, launched virtually across districts, seeks to make Sanskrit a popular medium of communication. “In these villages, people will use Sanskrit in their daily speech, conduct, and dialogue, restoring its ancient glory,” Dhami said, noting Uttarakhand’s status as the first state to undertake such a project.

The villages include Bhogpur (Dehradun), Mukhem (Tehri Garhwal), Kotgaon (Uttarkashi), Bainji (Rudraprayag), Dimmar (Chamoli), Goda (Pauri Garhwal), Urg (Pithoragarh), Janti Pandekota (Almora), Sheri (Bageshwar), Kharkkarki (Champawat), Noorpur Panjhanhedi (Haridwar), Pandey (Nainital), and Nagla Tarai (Udham Singh Nagar).

Dhami emphasized Sanskrit’s role as the foundation of Indian culture, Vedas, and scriptures, aligning the initiative with the National Education Policy’s push for Sanskrit as a modern, practical language. The state, where Sanskrit is the second official language after Hindi, is promoting it through scholarships, the Sanskrit Chhatra Pratibha Samman Yojana for top students, and events like the All India Veda and Astrology Conferences organized by the Uttarakhand Sanskrit Academy, Haridwar.

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The program, announced in February 2025, also includes developing online Sanskrit platforms and translating Lok Sabha proceedings into Sanskrit. Former minister Swami Yatishwaranand, at Noorpur Panjhanhedi’s event, called it a “proud day” for Uttarakhand, urging locals to make Sanskrit a household language. Social media on X praised the move, with users highlighting its potential to preserve cultural heritage, though some questioned its practicality in rural settings.

This initiative, backed by the Uttarakhand Sanskrit Academy and Central Sanskrit University, positions the state as a trailblazer in cultural preservation, aiming to weave Sanskrit into the fabric of daily life across Devbhoomi.

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