'Not Knowing Mother Tongue Is Shameful': Dhanush's Message To Students Amid Tamil Language Row

Published 6 August 2026 · local

News india 'Not Knowing Mother Tongue Is Shameful': Dhanush's Message To Students Amid Tamil Language Row 'Not Knowing Mother Tongue Is Shameful': Dhanush's Message To

News india 'Not Knowing Mother Tongue Is Shameful': Dhanush's Message To Students Amid Tamil Language Row 'Not Knowing Mother Tongue Is Shameful': Dhanush's Message To Students Amid Tamil Language Row Published By, Last Updated: August 06, 2026, 07:56 IST A question asked to him in Belgium changed his outlook on how he thinks about languages. Dhanush, revisiting his school, shared the anecdote to urge students to learn Tamil. Rapid Read Dhanush has urged students to learn Tamil In an emotional speech, delivered when he revisited his own alma mater Chennai, actor Dhanush urged students to value their mother tongue and take pride in Tamil. The world-renowned actor was addressing the students at Thaai Sathya Marticulation School on Tuesday. He had visited the school to inaugurate a new academic block he funded the construction of. Recommended Stories In his address, Dhanush shared how an interaction during a film shoot in Belgium changed his thinking about language.

The experience, he said, made him rethink how people view English and their native languages. The Belgium Encounter “I did a film, a French production, and the shoots were in Belgium. When they asked me if I knew English, I said, ‘Yes, I know,’ and they were very surprised. Usually, people embarrass you for not knowing English, but they were surprised when I said yes. When I asked why, they responded, ‘You should know your mother tongue well. English is a bonus, right?’ That is how they perceive language," he shared. Addressing students and teachers in Tamil, the actor also reflected on his school days. He said he struggled with English as a child but was always comfortable in Tamil. He expressed concern over changing trends among younger generations. “When I was studying here, I was bad at English and couldn’t speak it well.

But I was fluent in Tamil. That has changed now. When I meet people today, eight out of ten people don’t know how to read and write Tamil properly, but they are very good at English. That is a very disheartening situation," he said. “One should learn their mother tongue first. They should learn to read and write it first. Saying you don’t know Tamil is not something to be proud of. Not knowing your mother tongue is actually shameful. Please give importance to your mother tongue. Please focus on Tamil as well," he added. Mother Tongues Matter Tamil is one of the world’s oldest living languages, with a literary tradition that stretches back over two millennia. It holds a central place in the cultural and social identity of millions of people in India and across the globe.