Amritsar, April 1: Acting Jathedar of Sri Akal Takht Sahib, Giani Kuldeep Singh Gargaj, called for urgent measures to ensure Punjabi is taught from nursery in all schools across Punjab, regardless of their board affiliation.
In a statement issued from the Akal Takht secretariat, he emphasized that mother tongue holds the same significance in a person’s life as a mother does to a child. “Punjabi is the life and soul of awakening nations, and it is our duty to preserve and promote it,” he said.
Gargaj raised concerns over reports from CBSE-affiliated schools where English and Hindi have been made compulsory while Punjabi remains optional. “This is intolerable and contradicts the Punjab government’s claims of promoting the language,” he stated.
Highlighting the scientific basis for early language acquisition, he urged parents to introduce Punjabi from the beginning of a child’s education. “A child cannot master another language unless they first develop proficiency in their mother tongue,” he said, adding that knowledge of other languages is beneficial, but Punjabi should take precedence in Punjab.
He also linked linguistic preservation with spiritual connection, questioning how children would engage with Gurbani if they were not taught Gurmukhi.
Calling for collective action, he urged Punjabi language activists to identify schools failing to teach Punjabi from nursery and present their findings to Akal Takht for further action. “Every Punjabi must stand firm against attacks on the existence of our language,” he said.
