Latest news with #Hindi-Kannada
The Hindu
26-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Multiple-language regions sustain retail ecosystem: Retailers Association of India
GUWAHATI Business gets better in a region where people are used to communicating in more than one language, India's top retailers said. Amid the Hindi-Kannada row, the Retailers Association of India (RAI) said speaking multiple languages plays a major role in sustaining the economy, driven by business houses and local entrepreneurs. It said India's northeastern region, home to more than 250 ethnic and settler communities, is one such region. 'The northeast is a very interesting market for the retail industry. The customers in this part of the country are well aware of the global trends, are accustomed to multiple languages, and are willing to experiment with items when they get them,' Kumar Rajagopalan, the RAI's chief executive officer, said at the North East Retail Summit on Monday. Most communities across the eight northeastern States can communicate in at least two languages — their mother tongue, Assamese, Bengali, English, Hindi or its pidgin version, such as Haflong Hindi in Assam's Dima Hasao district, and hybrid languages, including the Nagamese. The RAI, however, pointed out that the region faced issues of the logistical and supply chain management due to geographical constraints, and political situations, as in Manipur. 'The northeast is also a great place to find exceptional people who can serve in the retail industry, and we believe employment, one of the key drivers for retail, can be fulfilled with [better] access to the northeastern part of the country,' Mr. Rajagopalan said. According to Vikram Bothra, chairman of the RAI's northeast chapter, the region's true retail story is on the ground, driven by local entrepreneurs. 'We have seen incomes rising, and communities are more open to modern retail, but success here takes time. Patience and commitment are essential — brands must earn trust by adapting to local tastes and persisting through the slow build,' he said. 'Our experience shows that targeted strategies resonating with regional culture pay off. When companies are patient and collaborate with those on the ground, even logistical hurdles become surmountable,' he said. The summit brought together retail professionals and thought leaders from Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Nagaland, Manipur, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram. The focus of the event was on building a cohesive ecosystem to address region-specific challenges, and tap into emerging opportunities.
Indian Express
21-05-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Bengaluru customer demands bank manager speak Kannada, she declines; video sparks debate: ‘This is India, I'll speak in Hindi'
The Kannada language dispute at an SBI branch in Chandapura, a suburb in South Bengaluru, has triggered widespread backlash after a video of a confrontation between a customer and a bank manager was widely circulated on social media. The now-viral video shows the customer repeatedly urging the bank official to speak in Kannada, while the manager firmly refuses. The exchange quickly escalates, becoming a flashpoint in the ongoing debate around local language use in public services. 'Wait a second, this is Karnataka,' the customer says. 'You have not given me employment,' the bank manager responds. The customer in question goes on to say, 'This is Karnataka, madam,' to which the bank manager replies, 'So? This is India.' As the video progresses, the customer goes on to say, 'Kannada first, madam.' 'I will not speak Kannada for you,' the bank manager says. Despite the manager's refusal, the customer persists, 'So you will never speak in Kannada?' The bank manager says, 'No. I will speak Hindi.' The standoff continues for several minutes, with the conversation reduced to a back-and-forth, 'Hindi-Kannada'. Frustrated, the customer reminds the official of existing rules. 'Madam, this is Karnataka, you should speak Kannada. It's not about the chairman. There is an RBI rule that in that particular state, you must speak the respective language,' he says. 'I will never speak Kannada,' the bank manager says. To this, the customer responds, 'Super, madam, super.' Watch here: I WILL NOT SPEAK KANNADA IN KARNATAKA, NEVER, SPEAK IN HINDI. @TheOfficialSBI Branch manager SBI, surya nagara, anekal taluk KARNATAKA Your Branch manager and staff disrespect the Kannada language, imposing hindi on people of karnataka, misbehaving with customers,on duty times… — ಗುರುದೇವ್ ನಾರಾಯಣ್ 💛❤️ GURUDEV NARAYAN🌿 (@Gurudevnk16) May 20, 2025 The incident has fueled a debate over language, with many on social media slamming the customer for imposing the Kannada language on the bank manager. 'We are unnecessarily fighting Pakistan, we have enough reasons to get divided internally,' a user wrote. 'But let's be clear: you can't force someone to speak a particular language. If SBI transfers a Hindi-speaking employee to Bengaluru, that's not their fault. Expecting basic respect is fair — harassment and hate isn't,' another user commented. 'Services are to be served in local/customer understandable language. There's no substitute to that,' a third user said.
Time of India
22-04-2025
- Time of India
Man who told Bengaluru driver to 'speak Hindi' apologises in Kannada
BENGALURU: In a fresh twist that has reignited the language debate, a man who was seen in a video that went viral, saying "So what if this is Bengaluru, speak Hindi", posted an apology in Kannada on Monday. On April 20, the Hindi-Kannada row flared up again after a video surfaced showing the man telling an auto driver: "Noida mein raho ya Bangalore mein raho, tum bhi Hindi mein baat karo (Whether you're in Noida or Bengaluru, speak in Hindi)." The auto driver promptly responded, "You have come to Bengaluru, speak in Kannada. I won't speak in Hindi." The video, lacking clear context, nonetheless went viral, splitting the internet. The man's identity remains unknown, and netizens have dubbed him the 'Hindi warrior.' While some supported the need to speak Hindi in Bengaluru, many-especially Kannadigas-expressed outrage at being pressured to use a language that isn't native to the region. In the 'apology video' circulated online on Monday, the unidentified man said he did not intend to offend anyone and claimed he speaks Kannada, having lived in Bengaluru for nearly nine years. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like News For Jack Nicholson, 87, He Has Been Confirmed To Be... Reportingly Undo He added that he went to the nearest police station to apologise for his behaviour, admitting he regretted losing his temper during the heated exchange. The apology sparked fresh outrage, with some accusing Kannadigas of forcing people to apologise, while others questioned the man's sincerity, suggesting he was merely reacting to the backlash. Calls for a neutral middle ground-such as using English when there's no common language-were few and largely drowned out in the noise. Incidentally, after Tamil Nadu, resistance to " Hindi imposition "-particularly the three-language formula proposed under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020-is growing louder in Karnataka as well.
