Andhra Pradesh IT and Human Resources Development Minister Nara Lokesh addressed the ongoing debate on Hindi imposition at the India Today Conclave 2025. Stressing the uniqueness of each state, Lokesh stated that every region should have the autonomy to promote its native language.

"I don’t believe impositions will happen in India. I believe every state is unique. When I met the Education Minister, he was more insistent on me promoting Telugu," Lokesh said.

Lokesh also highlighted the central government’s trust in states to strengthen their local languages and mother tongues. He also credited Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu for taking the lead in this initiative.

Challenging the notion that Hindi should be the default second language across India, Lokesh questioned why Telugu could not be taught in northern states if linguistic inclusivity was the goal. He urged policymakers to create an environment where children could choose the languages they wanted to learn.

By advocating for a broader perspective that includes global languages while safeguarding regional tongues, Lokesh reinforced the idea that India’s linguistic strength lies in its diversity, not in uniformity.

"I am from Hyderabad and my Hindi is Good," says Nara Lokesh

Nara Lokesh participated in the India Today Conclave 2025, where he reaffirmed his stance against multiple aspects. Lokesh pointed out that the NDA government has been supportive of mother tongues, citing his conversation with the Education Minister, who prioritized Telugu as the medium of instruction.

Beyond the three-language policy, Lokesh advocated for equipping Indian students with global language skills, particularly in German and Japanese, to enhance employment opportunities abroad. He specifically mentioned agreements to train nurses in these languages for better mobility in Germany and Japan.

Recalling his Hyderabad roots, he confidently asserted his fluency in Hindi and underscored the value of multilingualism in an interconnected world.

"Give kids the opportunity to learn what they want. I am reasonably fluent in Hindi, Hyderabad se hoon na, Hindi acchi hail (I am from Hyderabad, my Hindi is good)," said Lokesh Nara.

Lokesh also shared about how WhatsApp governance started.

“The whole idea started from my padayatra, where people were questioning me saying, ‘I push a button, I get food, I get groceries, I can watch a movie. Why is the government not so proactive.’ It was a simple point that was raised,” Lokesh said.