Kannada is the first language of the state of Karnataka located in the southern part of India in South Asia.

Is it all about Kannada?

No, Kannada is one of the ‘Classical languages of India’ along with Malayalam, Oriya, Telugu, Tamil, and Sanskrit.

It might, probably, be the first Indian language to have its own test of proficiency for non-native speakers. This test will be internationally or globally recognized as one’s proficiency in the Kannada language.

Why will a non-native individual wish to learn Kannada, in the first place?

What is the benefit of learning Kannada to a person whose mother tongue is not Kannada, or who is not a native of the state of Karnataka?  

• IT hub – Bangalore

Kannada is the language spoken in one of the biggest IT hubs in India – Bangalore. People not just from all over India, but also abroad come to this city with dreams of an IT job in their eyes. Some stay here for a short period, say, for the duration of a project or assignment, while some settle here permanently, and make this city their home for a lifetime.

• Many factories, industrial units, and other jobs

Not just Bangalore, even other parts of Karnataka are developing rapidly. A number of new factories and industrial units are coming up every day in various regions of the state, creating a large number of employment opportunities for laborers, skilled as well as unskilled.

• Hospitality sector

The hospitality sector is flourishing in this state as well. With chains of big hotels, restaurants, international food joints, etc. opening in this state to cater to the taste buds and lodging needs of its growing population with a highly sophisticated and ever-developing or changing lifestyle, the hospitality sector is witnessing the much-expected boom in the present times!

• Tourism

The tourism sector in Karnataka is not an exception to growth. With beautiful hill stations such as Mysore, and other beauties like Udupi, Manipal, etc., and its national reserves, its forests, its wildlife, the state of Karnataka is a place worth visiting, watching, and enjoying. The growth of the travel and tourism industry has created many job opportunities, and they are no more closed or restricted to the boundaries of Karnataka.

• The entertainment industry

Kannada entertainment and film industry is one of the most advanced ones in India. Many have a dream of making it big in this industry. And there are many who just try to get associated with this industry to earn their livelihood.

• Ease of communication

When you have seen what all opportunities open doors for you in Karnataka, would you not be willing to learn the first language of the majority of the population staying in this state? It is not that you cannot survive in this state without knowing Kannada, but if you wish to make your stay in Karnataka a pleasant one with ease in communicating with the native Kannada population or the people who know no other language than Kannada, it is essential to learn the language. Sellers or grocery vendors in the marketplace, old people in rural parts of the state, or the population staying in the interiors are the most likely to be known only the Kannada language. You can enjoy communicating with them in their local language and make your stay in the state smooth and free of worries.

Similarly, to be able to emotionally connect well with your colleagues at the workplace, your neighbors who are natives of Karnataka, your friends in college if you are staying in Karnataka for higher studies, you must give learning the Kannada language a thought!   

There are some resources that you can use for self–learning the Kannada language. These resources are:

• Books for Kannada – Kannada books for beginners, basic and intermediate level Kannada, advanced Kannada, etc.
• Kannada learning apps – online language learning apps which have short lessons, quizzes, etc. to make learning Kannada, fun
• Kannada shows with subtitles – here, entertainment and learning goes hand – in – hand
• Podcasts and educational videos – interesting way to develop listening skills
• Newspapers and magazines – a foolproof and reliable source to develop Kannada vocabulary 
• Blogs – it is every writer’s personal version and view of the concepts in Kannada grammar, vocabulary, etc.

Even though one can learn Kannada using the above resources for self–learning, one cannot attain fluency in Kannada with the help of these resources alone. One must take a systematic, complete, thorough Kannada learning course from a Kannada language expert to attain proficiency in the language.

Now, if your next question is “How do I find time to learn Kannada, citing my fairly busy schedule?”, we have an answer for this question as well!

You can learn Kannada online from an expert through the medium of online Kannada learning audio-visual sessions facilitated by a reliable edtech platform. In these sessions, a student and instructor communicate on-screen just as they do in person. The advantage is that these online sessions can be taken from anywhere, any part of the globe with just a smartphone or a laptop, and a stable internet connection at your service. All parameters of Kannada learning such as listening, speaking Kannada, reading and writing Kannada script, comprehending complex Kannada text and/or content are paid attention to and are developed so as to make any individual a fluent Kannada speaker.

Still have the question, “Is Kannada worth learning?”

I guess, not!