By IANS
New York : A US county in the western state of Nevada has proclaimed Jan 12 will be observed as Sanskrit Day.
A proclamation signed by the chairman of the Washoe County Commission says: “Proclaimed: That Washoe County recognises the importance of the Sanskrit language and Jan 12, 2008 as Sanskrit Day.”
The proclamation by the county with a population of about 400,000 is to coincide with a Sanskrit language seminar-cum-class organised by prominent Hindu chaplain Rajan Zed in Reno, the seat of the county, Jan 12-13.
About 50 people are expected to participate in the seminar.
The Washoe county proclamation says: “As Hinduism expands in the West, it is important that to understand Hinduism, one should have a working knowledge of Sanskrit.”
Hinduism’s ancient scriptures, notably the Vedas, are in Sanskrit.
The proclamation also quotes Mahatma Gandhi: “Without the study of Sanskrit, one cannot become a true learned man.”