Sanskrit or Samskrit in Primary School???? What an Idea!

Pilot project to popularise Sanskrit in primary schools

31 Jan 2009, 2324 hrs IST, Prasad Kulkarni, TNN

PUNE: Working towards popularising Sanskrit language at the primary level of education, Sanskritbharati' has started a pilot project across 10 primary schools in the state.

"The agenda is to impart better Sanskrit education in schools and give more exposure of the ancient language at primary level," said Madhav Kelkar, all India committee member, who was here to organise a two-day Sanskrit language convention at Alandi (Devachi) from January 31.

Sanskritbharati' has developed four books which can be used by any student from class I to class V. The books have been given to 10 schools across the state where the school will decide how to utilise them.

On the content of the books, Kelkar said apart from teaching basic Sanskrit grammar, they tell about day-to-day conversations in pictorial form, which makes it easy for the young students to understand the language.

"In the last one year, more than 15,000 such books have been sold a testimony of the growing enthusiasm among children for learning Sanskrit. Now, we are planning to promote the project in more schools," Kelkar said.

"Learning Sanskrit is essential in today's age as it helps preserve the purity of the Indian languages," said Moreshwar Deodhar, coordinator of western Maharashtra region, Sanskritbharati.