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Amid the maddening voices for one language, one globalized and homogenized world, and one English, Professor Pattanayak’s has, perhaps, been the lone voice of reason. Pattanayak understands the Indian language scenario better than most scholars of Indian languages do. Having held various key positions, besides being the founder Director of the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysore, he was uniquely placed with a privileged front-seat view of the great Indian linguistic diversity – coupled with deep, highly perceptive understanding of the language issues and dynamics of language policies in India In two volumes, this book puts together a wide range of writings of this eminent Indian linguist and humanist.

Pattanayak’s writings largely revolve around social justice: whether in education, language, or socioeconomic and political issues of the marginalized. He was the first among the generation of scholars to challenge the western perspectives on language and talk about indigeneity and contextualization of languages and show through his writings that many languages can and do exist harmoniously. Though critical of western perspective on language, his all-encompassing view does not shut any language or worldview out.

The essays here, written over decades, give glimpses into D.P. Pattanayak’s humanism, scholarship, openness, and a critical mind, without any fear. Truly erudite, philosophical, analytical, anecdotal and, at times, even lyrical, these indomitably spirited essays not only offer a telling critique of the ‘monolingual myopia’, but, simultaneously, celebrate the beauty of many languages in Indian multilingualism.