Preserving Our Linguistic Heritage: How Divya Mistry-Patel Is Revolutionizing Bilingual Education for Future Generations

Associated Press

6 hours ago

By Ovais Riaz & Waa Say - Team Editorial Evrima Chicago
BIRMINGHAM, GB / ACCESS Newswire / June 30, 2025 / The Silent Crisis of Disappearing Languages
In our increasingly globalized world, UNESCO warns that nearly half of all spoken languages are currently endangered, with one disappearing every two weeks. Against this sobering backdrop, educator and author Divya Mistry-Patel has emerged as a passionate advocate for linguistic preservation through her groundbreaking work in children's literature.
Mistry-Patel is an educator, entrepreneur, and celebrated children's book author. She has taken a bold step toward making bilingual learning both accessible and engaging.
A Personal Journey Becomes a Cultural Mission
Born into a multicultural Gujarati family in the UK, Mistry-Patel experienced firsthand the gradual erosion of heritage languages in diaspora communities.
'I watched cousins who could understand Gujarati but couldn't speak it, and eventually children who couldn't even understand,' she recalls.
This personal observation sparked what would become her life's work-creating tools to make language learning accessible, engaging, and intergenerational.
Her latest creation, Mari Rang Be Range Biladi (translated as 'My Colourful Cat'), represents far more than just another bilingual picture book. It's a comprehensive language-learning system that includes:
The Growing Demand for Multilingual Education
Recent studies from the University of Chicago demonstrate that bilingual children develop stronger executive function skills, showing 20% greater cognitive flexibility than monolingual peers.
Yet despite these proven benefits, the publishing industry has been slow to respond. A 2022 survey by the Cooperative Children's Book Center revealed that while 33% of U.S. children come from bilingual homes, only 12% of children's books published that year offered any non-English content. In the UK, around 20% of children speak or understand more than one language. Furthermore, around half of the world's population speaks two or more languages.
Mistry-Patel has positioned herself at the forefront of changing this disparity.
'This isn't just about language retention,' she explains. 'It's about giving children the tools to navigate their multicultural identities with confidence.'
Breaking Barriers in Publishing
The path to bringing Mari Rang Be Range Biladi to market reveals systemic challenges in the publishing industry. Major retailers often relegate bilingual books to 'special interest' sections-when they carry them at all. Traditional publishers frequently reject bilingual manuscripts, citing 'limited market potential.'
Yet professionals continue to emphasize the importance of encouraging parents to speak in their mother tongue with their children. Research has shown the benefits of bilingual learners, yet this is not reflected on our bookshelves.
In a world where native languages are slowly fading from everyday use, Mistry-Patel is on a mission to ensure cultural heritage and linguistic roots are preserved.
Undeterred, she adopted an innovative hybrid approach:
This strategy has yielded impressive results, with the book gaining traction in both educational circles and Gujarati communities worldwide.
Recognition and Future Horizons
The impact of Mistry-Patel's work is gaining institutional recognition. She currently holds nominations for:
Through her company, Academic Achievements Ltd, she is now developing versions in Punjabi, Hindi, Malayalam, and Tamil-potentially reaching over 500 million native speakers globally.
A recent partnership with local schools and Kent libraries has made the book freely available to local families, with plans for similar initiatives nationwide.
How Readers Can Support the Movement
Mistry-Patel emphasizes that preserving linguistic diversity requires a community effort:
The Ripple Effect of Language Preservation
As linguist Dr. Ananya Sharma notes,
'When we lose a language, we don't just lose words-we lose entire ways of seeing the world.'
Mistry-Patel's work represents a vital countercurrent to this loss, creating what educators are calling 'the building blocks of cultural continuity.'
With Mari Rang Be Range Biladi available on Amazon and her expanding series underway, Mistry-Patel is proving that one passionate voice can indeed change the narrative-in any language.
Mistry-Patel has more books coming soon in both South Asian languages and in English. The books are all designed to empower young minds and encourage their love for learning. Through Mistry-Patel's experience in the education sector, her experience over the years has allowed her to create resources with neurodivergent students in mind. Keep up-to-date with the latest resources, services and books created by Academic Achievements Ltd on their socials.
Connect with the Movement
Disclaimer
This article was authored, developed, and distributed by Evrima Chicago, LLC, serving as the official editorial and media representative for Divya Mistry-Patel, founder of Academic Achievements Ltd and author of Mari Rang Be Range Biladi. This content is released for educational, cultural, and journalistic purposes.
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Sources & Citations
SOURCE: Evrima Chicago LLC.
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