Hindi not national language, it is official language: Ex-cricketer Ashwin
Chennai (PTI): Former cricketer R Ashwin has said Hindi was not the country's national language but only an official language.
He made these comments while attending the convocation of a private college near here on Thursday, where he asked the students in what language they would like him to address them.
While a few preferred English and there was overwhelming support when he gave the option of addressing them in Tamil, there seemed to be no takers for Hindi.
"Hindi --no response. I thought I will say it (Hindi) is not our national language, but an official language," the former India all-rounder said.
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Looking forward to my upcoming Israel visit: PM Modi
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said he was looking forward to his upcoming visit to Israel.
The prime minister said this on X in response to Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's comment that Modi will visit Israel on Wednesday.
"Thank you, my friend, Prime Minister Netanyahu. I fully agree with you on the bond between India and Israel as well as the diverse nature of our bilateral relations. India deeply values the enduring friendship with Israel, built on trust, innovation and a shared commitment to peace and progress.
"Looking forward to our discussions during my upcoming Israel visit," he said.
In a post on X on Sunday morning, Netanyahu spoke about the historic visit of "my dear friend", Prime Minister Modi, to Israel on Wednesday.
He said the bond between Israel and India is a powerful alliance between two global leaders.
"We are partners in innovation, security, and a shared strategic vision. Together, we are building an axis of nations committed to stability and progress," he said.
Netanyahu said that from artificial intelligence to regional cooperation, the partnership between India and Israel continues to reach new heights.
"Looking forward to seeing you in Jerusalem, PM Modi!" he said.
