Bengaluru: Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu sparked a lively debate by advising people who have made Bengaluru their home to learn Kannada.
Vembu’s comments came in response to a journalist’s post about the importance of integrating into local culture, which included learning the regional language.
Vembu emphasized that not learning Kannada after living in Bengaluru for many years is “disrespectful.” He stated, “If you make Bengaluru your home, you should learn Kannada, and your kids should learn Kannada.”
He also mentioned that he encourages his employees in Chennai to learn Tamil to respect their surroundings and foster community integration.
The post quickly went viral, drawing mixed reactions from netizens. Some supported Vembu’s view, citing examples of people integrating into local cultures by learning the language.
Others argued that language should not be a measure of respect and pointed out the practicality of using English in a cosmopolitan city like Bengaluru.
Vembu’s comments have reignited the ongoing debate about the importance of learning local languages in a diverse country like India. While some see it as a way to show respect and integrate into the community, others believe that the focus should be on effective communication, regardless of the language used.
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