Viral Bengaluru Auto Driver Now Shares Video On How To Pronounce Simple Kannada Words

Over time, there has been an intense discussion in Karnataka, particularly Bengaluru, over the language row. To explain it, there has been a strong call from locals regarding the assimilation into local values and culture, with people advocating for mainly Kannada-speaking residents. This has also sparked problems for new people in the city, only because they cannot speak the local language. While the debate over the language row appears to be going nowhere anytime soon, a Bengaluru auto driver is going the extra mile to bridge this cultural gap between the locals and the outsiders.

The auto driver recently took over the internet after a poster featuring an easy Kannada learning guide went viral. Seemingly displayed inside his autorickshaw, the poster titled ‘Learn Kannada With Auto Kannadiga’ features a series of common Kannada phrases along with their English translations to help non-native speakers engage more efficiently.

After the post sparked an interesting conversation online with users lauding his thoughtful gesture, the driver, who also operates an Instagram handle known as Auto Kannadiga, shared a video detailing the initiative. In the video, he could be seen explaining how non-Kannada speakers could learn the basics of the language through translations and even scan the QR code for quick help from video demos. “Let’s teach Kannada. Let’s fix the language problem in Bengaluru,” the video’s caption read.

Social media users instantly reacted to the video, lauding his idea. One wrote, “I am happy to see your efforts, I am proud of you. You will have our support,” while another commented, “Just saw this card on my auto, will definitely learn it and share it.”

“Our auto drivers value is next level. great work henge, you should grow, I wish for your growth always,” another comment read. A user noted, “This is a good initiative. Appreciate your idea.”

Talking of the poster, which originally went viral, it carried a series of common statements that can be used during a ride, including greetings and basic dialogues in Kannada with English translations. Speaking to The Times of India, the auto driver shared how he noticed language becoming a major barrier for the non-Kannada speakers in the city, leading to much negativity. To address it, he came up with the idea and self-funded the printing of the posters to distribute them among 500 drivers across Bengaluru.