Bengaluru Man Praises Odisha Plumber's Efforts To Speak Kannada: ‘Behaved Professionally'

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4 hours ago

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The man shared how impressed he was with the plumber's effort to communicate in Kannada even though he wasn't a native speaker.
In the midst of ongoing debates about non-native Kannada speakers in Karnataka, a Bengaluru resident's social media post has gone viral for a positive reason.
The post highlights a plumber from Odisha who, while on the job, made a genuine effort to speak Kannada. Booked through Urban Company, the plumber impressed the customer not only with his punctuality but also by communicating in beginner-level Kannada, openly admitting he was still learning the language. This gesture has sparked positive conversations amid the language debate.
The post on X (formerly Twitter) read: 'Today the plumber whom I booked from Urban company said working in Bengaluru from past two years, Already spoke decent beginner Kannada, and said still learning. He was from Odisha, was on time and behaved professionally. This I have observed in workers from that state."
Today the plumber whom I booked from Urban company said working in Bengaluru from past two years,Already spoke decent beginner Kannada, and said still learning.He was from Odisha,– was on time and behaved professionally.This I have observed seen in workers from that state.— Śrīdatta (@sridatta_a) June 21, 2025
Soon, the comments section flooded with users sharing their own stories of non-native speakers making sincere efforts to learn and use Kannada.
Another added, 'Agreed. We had gone to a resort, and the guys working there also from Odisha, were able to converse with us in Kannada. They have been here for a little over 2 years."
'We too recently got introduced to an Oria plumber. Living in Bengaluru for 15 years or so. Unless he tells you, can't make out he's not a local… spoke flawless Kannada," someone else wrote.
'They are hard workers. Seen them before their best self, wherever I've seen them. Chennai or Bangalore. Blue collar or white collar. Professional," read another comment.
A video of a Tibetan man speaking fluent Kannada on the streets of Bengaluru also gained widespread attention recently. The middle-aged man, speaking as part of a vox pop, shared how Kannada had become an everyday part of his life.
'I know many Tibetans who speak Kannada more than their mother tongue. Locals respect me a lot when I speak in Kannada. They feel proud that an outsider has made the effort to learn their language," he said in the clip.
After drinking Kaveri water you speak Kannada automatically. This statement is not true for our fellow North Indians. #StopHindiImposition. pic.twitter.com/WWTJ8HGgt3 — Dr Prisha Sargam (@PrishaSargam) June 14, 2025
The highlight of the video was his take on the common excuse many use – 'Kannada gottilla" (I don't know Kannada). He replied, 'There's no such thing as 'Kannada gottilla.' After drinking Kaveri water, you automatically start speaking Kannada." Many people praised the man and called it a great example of respecting local language and culture.
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