Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday, 19 July called on every student in India to learn at least one additional Indian language beyond their mother tongue, saying linguistic diversity is inseparable from understanding the country's culture. Shah made the appeal while inaugurating the Museum of Word at the National Library campus in Kolkata.

What Shah Said

'The language diversity in India carries the rich heritage of the country. Only through language can one understand a nation's culture. Hence, it is necessary for every student to learn at least one additional Indian language besides his or her own mother tongue,' Shah said at the event.

He also struck a note against linguistic chauvinism: 'There is no place for narrow-mindedness in our country. Narrow-mindedness cannot be the identity of Indian culture. We cannot create obstacles in anyone's way of judging,' he added.

About the Museum of Word

The Museum of Word is being built under the Union Ministry of Culture and will showcase the evolution of 22 Indian languages across nine galleries, each approaching India's linguistic history from a distinct perspective. The first phase of the project cost approximately ₹14 crore, with the total estimated outlay pegged at around ₹41 crore.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced the creation of the museum in 2020. Shah described it as 'a new feather in Kolkata's crown,' with its largest gallery — the 'Timeline of Languages' — tracing the arc of Indian linguistic heritage from antiquity to the present.

What the Museum Contains

Visitors will find preserved words, ancient manuscripts, inscriptions, documents on the evolution of various scripts, and interactive digital presentations charting language development. According to government sources, the museum is designed to serve not only as a language preservation project but also as a permanent record of India's multilingual cultural heritage, conveying the message of equal status for every language, including Bengali.

Political Presence and Bengal Angle

West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari was also present at the inauguration. Adhikari said the current Union Government was placing special emphasis on establishing the Bengali language in its full dignity and on making it more widely recognised globally — a remark that carries political weight in a state where language identity remains a sensitive issue.

Broader Significance

The inauguration comes at a time when debates over language policy — particularly around the three-language formula and the status of regional languages — continue to animate national discourse. The museum's emphasis on equal dignity for all 22 scheduled languages positions it as a cultural-diplomatic gesture as much as an archival one. With the remaining phases of the ₹41 crore project yet to be completed, the full scope of the museum will unfold over the coming years.