“If You Make Bengaluru Your Home…”: Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu’s Take On Language Debate

Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu has weighed in on the ongoing debate about learning local languages, emphasising the importance of respect for regional culture. He stated, “If you make Bengaluru your home, you should learn Kannada, and your kids should learn Kannada. Not doing so after living many years in Bengaluru is disrespectful.”

Vembu also highlighted similar expectations in Tamil Nadu. “I often request our employees in Chennai coming from other states to make an effort to learn Tamil after they come here,” he added.

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His comments were in response to journalist Chandra R Srikanth’s post on X (formerly Twitter), advocating for learning local languages in India. Srikanth criticised the reluctance of some to pick up Kannada despite living in Bengaluru for years. She wrote, “People won’t think twice before buying English-to-French or English-to-Spanish dictionaries abroad, but resist learning local languages in India. Many wear their inability to speak Kannada as a badge of honour.”

Srikanth, who is not a native Kannada speaker, shared her experience of learning the language over the last decade. “My Kannada is not perfect, but people appreciate the effort,” she noted.

The discussion was sparked by a viral image of two men wearing T-shirts declaring “Hindi National Language” during a trip to Bengaluru.

I agree with this sentiment. If you make Bengaluru your home, you should learn Kannada and your kids should learn Kannada.

Not doing so after living many years in Bengaluru is disrespectful.

I often request our employees in Chennai coming from other states to make an effort to… https://t.co/1cIQ47FMjn

— Sridhar Vembu (@svembu) November 15, 2024