Mann Ki Baat: PM Modi praises cricket commentary in Sanskrit

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday praised and shared an audio clip of  cricket commentary being done in Sanskrit.

“I have a thought – why not have good commentaries of different sports and especially Indian sports in more and more languages, we must think about encouraging it. I would urge the sports ministry and private institutional partners to think about it,” said the PM adding that in Varanasi, a cricket tournament is held among Sanskrit colleges. These colleges include Shastharth College, Swami Vedanti Ved Vidyapeeth, Sri Brahma Veda Vidyalaya and International Chandramouli Charitable Trust. The commentary is also done in Sanskrit during the matches of this tournament. Not only this, in this tournament, players and commentators are seen in the traditional attire.

The city witnessed the annual ‘Dand-Kanduk Kridyayam’ (cricket) on the sports-ground of Sampurnanand Sanskrit University on Thursday 18 to mark the 77th foundation day of Shshtrarth Mahavidyalaya.

In Varanasi, a cricket tournament is held among Sanskrit colleges. Commentary is also done in Sanskrit during the matches of this tournament. in this tournament, players and commentators are seen in the traditional attire: PM @narendramodi pic.twitter.com/n1K3tuPEBP

— DD India (@DDIndialive) February 28, 2021

Here is what PM Modi said: 

“You too would have been surprised to hear this. Actually, this is a cricket commentary being done in Sanskrit. In Varanasi, a cricket tournament is held among Sanskrit colleges. These colleges are – Shastharth College, Swami Vedanti Ved Vidyapeeth, Sri Brahma Veda Vidyalaya and International Chandramouli Charitable Trust. Commentary is also done in Sanskrit during the matches of this tournament. ”

“I just played for you a very small part of that commentary. Not only this, in this tournament, players and commentators are seen in the traditional attire. If you want energy, excitement, suspense all at once, then you should listen to the sports commentaries. Long before the advent of TV, sports commentary was the medium through which people of the country felt the thrill of sports like cricket and hockey. The commentary for tennis and football matches is also very well presented. We have seen that games in which commentaries are vibrant, they get promoted and gain popularity very fast.”

Here too, we have many Indian sports, where commentary culture has not permeated yet and due to this they are in a state of near extinction. I have a thought – Why not have good commentaries of different sports and especially Indian sports in more and more languages, we must think about encouraging it. I would urge the Sports Ministry and private institutional partners to think about it.