"Terrible PR For Bengaluru": Delhi Entrepreneur On Kannada Language Row

Quick Read
Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed.
A Delhi entrepreneur warned that ongoing language disputes harm Bengaluru's image. He emphasised communication over cultural battles and suggested that language learning should be organic.
A Delhi-based entrepreneur expressed concern that recurring incidents over the Kannada language were doing "terrible PR" for Bengaluru.
Abhijit Chakraborty, Founder Partner at Alphanumero Agency & Studio, said that people often figured out a "common way to communicate" in situations where they couldn't understand each other,
"Any language, in everyday life, is simply a means to communicate," Mr Chakraborty wrote in a LinkedIn post.
He gave an example of a person from Chennai trying to book an auto ride in Delhi, suggesting that if conversations ended up "being a culture war", the individual would never reach the desired location.
Next, Mr Chakraborty shared his experience of living in the national capital. Despite being fluent in Bengali, Hindi and English, he had to pick a fourth one (Punjabi) to speak with others "because it's everywhere in Delhi," he added.
Even though he was not fluent in Punjabi, Mr Chakraborty said he could understand it and try to respond with his "own version of the language."
Mr Chakraborty believed that "non-Kannadigas" in Bengaluru would learn the Kannada language if they stayed "long enough", and if they felt "an inclination towards it."
He noted that he started speaking Punjabi through random conversations and had a general interest in Sikh history and heritage.
"Shoving a language down someone's throat never works," he added.
In the comments section of the viral post, multiple people agreed with Mr Chakraborty's suggestion.
A woman said she can't speak "more than a couple of words in Kannada," despite being married to a "Kannadiga" for four years. She added that she started picking up the meaning of conversations with time.
"Language should be a bridge, not a battleground. These culture wars around language often just distract from the real issues," she added.
Another person said the "only way to make another person learn your language is to make it cool."
A third user wrote that this "aggressive" imposition of culture in the name of "promoting and safeguarding" shall "never ever" work.
Mr Chakraborty's post came days after a manager at the SBI branch in Bengaluru's Chandapura refused to speak with a customer in Kannada, saying, "This is India, I'll speak Hindi, not Kannada."
The viral video soon drew sharp criticism from activists of the language and political leaders.
Later, the manager was transferred, while both the bank and the person issued apologies.
In recent weeks, the advocates for the language suggested people learn it to respect the local culture. However, critics argued such an expectation was exclusionary, especially in a cosmopolitan city.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Business Standard

15 minutes ago

• Business Standard

CAPE fear: History suggests rich valuations precede sharp pullbacks

Valuations at current levels have historically corresponded single-digit returns premium Sachin P Mampatta Mumbai Listen to This Article Notwithstanding indices being lower than the all-time high levels touched nine months ago, the stock market has rarely been as expensive as it is now on one particular metric. The 10-year cyclically adjusted price-to-earnings (CAPE) ratio for the BSE Sensex is at 35.2x, according to data based on a study, Forecast or Fallacy? Shiller's CAPE: Market and Style Factor Forward Returns in Indian Equities, authored originally in July 2024 by Joshy Jacob, professor at the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad, and Rajan Raju, director at Singapore-based family office Invespar. The numbers are updated monthly. The latest valuations for May 2025

Time of India

19 minutes ago

• Time of India

Maha Mumbai Metro achieves record daily ridership of 2.94 lakh

Mumbai: The Maha Mumbai Metro achieved its highest-ever daily ridership on June 18, 2025, with 2,94,681 commuters using the city's Metro Lines 2A and 7. This development marked a new milestone in Mumbai's urban transit journey. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Officials from the Maha Mumbai Metro Operation Corporation Ltd (MMMOCL) said, "The record numbers are attributed to the growing trust of Mumbaikars, seamless operations, and the widespread adoption of its digital ticketing system." The official further stated that over 65% of the tickets on that day were booked via the WhatsApp-based ticketing platform, reflecting the success of its technology-driven commuter services. "This achievement is a reflection of Mumbaikars' continued confidence in the metro network and the relentless commitment of our staff. We are grateful for the support and enthusiasm shown by our commuters," said a senior MMMOCL official. This surpasses the previous ridership high of over 2.92 lakh recorded on October 8, 2024, the day Mumbai received its new metro connection between Aarey Colony and Bandra Kurla Complex (BKC). Earlier, on June 6, 2024, the network recorded a ridership of 2,60,471 in a single day. Metro Lines 2A and 7, operated by MMMOCL, have become vital cogs in Mumbai's suburban transport ecosystem. The 18.6-km-long Metro Line 2A connects Dahisar to D N Nagar via 17 stations, linking with Metro Lines 1, 2B, and 6. Meanwhile, the 16.5-km-long Metro Line 7 runs from Dahisar East to Andheri East, significantly decongesting the Western Express Highway and integrating with key metro corridors across the city.

Business Standard

22 minutes ago

• Business Standard

Yes Bank extends CEO's tenure by 6 months: Move to help SMBC steer strategy

The six-month extension given to Yes Bank chief Prashant Kumar aims to give incoming shareholder, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation (SMBC), room to decide the lender's leadership and strategy once the ownership changes, said industry insiders. The private-sector lender last week told exchanges the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had approved Kumar's extension as managing director (MD) and chief executive officer (CEO) till October 6. However, Yes Bank did not say how long an extension it had sought for Kumar. Kumar has led the bank since its reconstruction in March 2020. He was first appointed the bank's administrator and later made the MD & CEO. Before that, he was deputy MD and chief financial officer of State Bank of India (SBI). Kumar received his first extension as Yes Bank MD & CEO in October 2022 for a three-year period. ALSO READ: RBI gives Yes Bank MD & CEO Prashant Kumar 6-month extension: Lender After SMBC announced that it will buy a 20 per cent stake in the private lender from SBI and others, reports said that Yes Bank's board is considering appointing a new MD & CEO and has engaged a headhunting agency to assist in the search. (SBI and other lenders had chipped in to reconstruct Yes Bank for over Rs 13,000 crore.) Kumar, over five years, has shifted the bank's focus from 'affluent' to 'mass affluent' customers and transformed its corporate-heavy book into largely retail, including MSME. Retail and SME books together constitute 60 per cent of its total loan book, compared to 36 per cent in March 2020. The bank's asset quality has improved with gross non-performing assets at 1.6 per cent at the end of March 2025, compared to almost 17 per cent at the end of March 2020. 'We are talking about the next five years because we have made the balance sheet strong enough, where the future earnings are not going to be impacted because of any past impact,' Kumar told 'Business Standard' last month. The RBI is allowing leeway for new shareholders to take their call about the bank's management, according to Abizer Diwanji, founder of NeoStrat Advisors LLP. The expectation seems to be that regulatory approvals will be secured in six months, allowing the new ownership (along with their representatives on the bank's board) to decide the bank's leadership. 'Under Kumar, the bank's retail strategy is yet to play out well. The cost-to-income ratio remains elevated, highlighting the need for more corrective measures on the retail front. Additionally, priority sector lending obligations have put pressure on margins, and key metrics like return on assets (RoA) and return on investment have shown limited improvement. That said, Kumar's conservative approach has helped keep asset quality at a manageable level,' said Diwanji. The bank aims to have a RoA of 1 per cent by FY27. In FY25, the RoA was at 0.6 per cent. It hopes to reach 1.5 per cent RoA in the next four-five years, Kumar had said previously. 'The bank has performed reasonably well, with shareholders — including SBI and other private sector banks — doubling their investment over the past five years. The six-month extension granted to the current MD & CEO provides flexibility to the new shareholder, SMBC, to decide on the leadership that will drive their strategic vision for the bank going forward,' said an industry expert, who did not wish to be named. 'Therefore, the shorter extension for the incumbent MD & CEO is likely not a reflection of performance, but rather a move to allow the new stakeholder greater flexibility in shaping the bank's future,' said the expert.