Two Muslim Students Win Bhagavad Gita Competitions in Rajasthan

Nadeem and Zorabia claim that even though their families did not know the language, it was never a barrier for them.

Nadeem Khan and Zorabia Naqvi won Bhagavad Gita Competitions

(Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Nadeem Khan and Zorabia Naqvi from Jaipur, Rajasthan, have broken all language barriers by winning the State Level Bhagavad Gita competitions for Essay Writing and Sloka Recitation respectively.

Born to Muslim parents, the students hail from families that speak Urdu. However, their love for the Sanskrit language did not hold them back in any capacity. And the Class 10 student Nadeem stopped at nothing to learn Sanskrit.

No one in my family knows Sanskrit. We speak Urdu at home. I decided to learn Sanskrit over Urdu because I’m fond of the language. My family has no objections. They are happy for me. I study Sanskrit more than I study Urdu

Nadeem Khan, Student

Nadeem’s father, Asfaq Khan claims that it is Nadeem’s interest that led him to his victory.

He started studying Sanskrit when he was in Class 6 out of his own interest. He would study Sanskrit day and night till he became fluent. 

Asfaq Khan, Nadeem’s Father

As for Nadeem, his interest grew out of wanting to learn a new language.

Since my childhood, I wanted to learn something new. When I started studying Sanskrit, I really liked the language. It’s a very simple language. By reading <i>Bhagavad Gita</i> and <i>Ramcharitmanas</i>, I have attained knowledge.

Nadeem Khan, Student

For Zorabia Naqvi, the preparation began three months before the actual competition. Her determination to learn the language is bigger than her age. While most second graders have a tough time forming sentences, Zorabia can recite full slokas in one breath.

She claimed that she loved learning the slokas, even though she did not know what they meant.

Video Editor: Vishal Kumar

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