Why Multilingual Education Matters in India | Rukmini Banerjee & Minati Panda

What does it truly mean to include a child in their own education — especially when the language of the classroom isn't the language of their home? In this fireside chat hosted by the UChicago Center in Delhi, we sat down with two of India's foremost voices in education to explore that very question. Dr. Rukmini Banerjee (Former CEO, Pratham) and Professor Minati Panda (Jawaharlal Nehru University) discuss multilingual education, foundational learning, and what India's New Education Policy (NEP 2020) could — and should — look like in practice. Key themes explored: → Why the burden of translation should never fall on children → How multilingualism is a resource — not a barrier — in Indian classrooms → What ASER data tells us about the language gap in Hindi-speaking states → The role of teacher training, community engagement, and curriculum reform → Epistemic inclusion: accepting not just a child's language, but their way of knowing Subscribe to stay updated on our upcoming lectures, and public events. Learn more about the UChicago Center in Delhi: www.uchicago.in