The Greatest Champion Of Sri Lanka's Mother Tongue

International Mother Language Day is celebrated every year on February 21st. It was declared by UNESCO to promote linguistic diversity and protect mother languages around the world. A mother tongue is the first language a child hears and speaks, forming the foundation of their identity and culture. The idea to celebrate this day came from Bangladesh. In 1952, students sacrificed their lives to protect their mother tongue, 'Bengali'. To honor their bravery and the importance of native languages, this day is observed globally.

In Sri Lanka, the greatest champion of the mother tongue was Kumaratunga Munidasa. He was a brilliant scholar who believed that a nation's strength lies in its language. He famously said "Basa Rakunoth Desa Rake". He founded the "Hela Havula" movement to preserve pure Sinhala and remove unnecessary foreign influences.

Kumaratunga Munidasa wrote many books to help children love their language. Some of his most famous works include Heen Saraya, Hath Pana, Magul Kama, Vyakarana Vivaranaya. According to Kumaratunga Munidasa, a child can think most creatively and understand the world best through their mother tongue. When a language dies, the unique knowledge and traditions of that culture also disappear. Therefore, protecting our native language is a duty we owe to our ancestors and future generations.

International Mother Language Day reminds us to respect all languages while taking pride in our own. By following the path shown by scholars like Kumaratunga Munidasa, we should commit to using our mother tongue correctly and passing its beauty down to the next generation.