HINDI IN THE SOUTH 213

be devoted to learning Hindi, instead of the rest of India
remaining a sealed book to them, xhey will be one with
us as never before. I know that some would say the
argument cuts both ways. The Dravidians being in a
minority, national economy suggests that they should
learn the common language of the rest of India than that
the rest should learn Tamil, Telugu, Kanarese and
Malayalam in order to be able to converse with Dravi-
dian India. It is for that reason that Hindi-propaganda
work of an intense type has been going on in the Madras
Presidency.

Let no Dravidian think that learning Hindi is at all
difficult. A little time taken from the recreation hour
daily and in a systematic manner will enable an average

Madras (after

separation of

Andhra) 35,735 7,800 400 5.13 1.12

Andhra 20,508 3,108 165 5.32 0.81

Mysore (including

(Bcllaxy Talukas) 9,849 1,956 136 6.94 1,38

LITERACY IN HINDI

The following figures pertaining to the spread of literacy in
Hindi are from the report of the Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar
Sabha, Madras, for the period 1918-1955 :

(In lakhs)

Population
Literates
Literates in

Hindi

Andhra
203.2
30.4
8.02

Tamil Nad
277.7
51.8
8.98

Kerala
140.1
72.8
14.22

Karnatak
228.4
48.7
9.87

Telangana
80.0
13.3
1.36

Madras City
14.2
4.3
1.75