Beijing: Chinese students showcase their impressive achievements in learning Indian languages
Beijing, June 6
In a significant step towards strengthening educational and cultural ties between India and China, India's Ambassador to China, Vikram K. Doraiswami, on Saturday interacted with students at Beijing Foreign Studies University and observed their accomplishment in learning several Indian languages, including Tamil, Hindi, Bengali and Sanskrit.
During his meeting with BFSU President Jia Wenjian, the Ambassador was briefed on instruction in Pali, Punjabi and Urdu, alongside the university's broader linguistic capabilities spanning over 100 foreign languages.
"At the invitation of Beijing Foreign Studies University (BFSU), Ambassador Vikram K. Doraiswami met the students and witnessed their impressive achievements in learning Indian languages, including Tamil, Hindi, Bengali, and Sanskrit. He was also briefed on instruction in Pali, Punjabi, and Urdu, including during his meeting with University President Jia Wenjian, who spoke about BFSU's capabilities in more than 100 foreign languages," the Indian Embassy in Beijing posted on X.
According to the Indian Embassy, delivering a lecture titled 'Bridging Civilisations through Language and Learning', Ambassador Doraiswami highlighted how the study of languages, societies, and a dialogue of ideas was a defining feature of India-China engagement for over two millennia.
Citing examples from the Mauryan period to the modern era, he noted how exchanges between the world's two oldest continuous civilisations enriched both societies through the sharing of knowledge, philosophy, artistic traditions, technologies, and innovation.
He emphasised that such interactions have historically generated mutual benefit and remain more important than ever as both countries undergo profound economic, technological, and social transformation.
"The lecture also explored the remarkable changes taking place in India today and the need for deeper knowledge, academic engagement, and people-to-people exchanges to better understand each other's contemporary realities," the Indian Embassy noted.
"The lecture was followed by a lively and interactive Q & A session, during which students engaged the Ambassador on a wide range of topics," it added.
Sharing a glimpse of the students' cultural performances on X, the Indian Embassy said the students also demonstrated impressive language skills through a series of vibrant cultural presentations.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This is actually a smart diplomatic move. Chinese students learning Tamil, Hindi, Bengali - these are living languages of over a billion people. If we want soft power, we should also encourage more Indians to learn Mandarin. Two-way street, yaar.
Nice to see our ambassador engaging with students directly. Learning Indian languages will give Chinese students a deeper appreciation of our culture. Sanskrit especially - that's our ancient heritage. 👏
While this seems positive, let's not forget China's aggressive posture on the border. Language learning shouldn't distract from the fact that they still occupy Indian territory. But I suppose people-to-people contact is always better than no contact.
As someone who studied Chinese in university, I know how hard language learning is. Kudos to these students for taking on Tamil and Sanskrit! Cultural diplomacy like this can help bridge gaps between our nations. India and China have so much to learn from each other.
Amazing! Chinese students learning Sanskrit and Pali - these languages connect our ancient Buddhist heritage. We had Nalanda, they had Xuanzang. It's a beautiful civilizational link. More of this, less of border tensions please. 🙏
I appreciate the effort, but
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