Languages not lost

Cambridge University has not abandoned the teaching of Sanskrit and Hindi within the university ("Hindi axed as PM honoured", October 13) Sanskrit will continue to be taught to undergraduates reading theology and to postgraduates studying Sanskrit as one of the great classical languages of the world. Hindi will continue to be offered not only to postgraduates taking cultural South Asian studies, but also to undergraduates and postgraduates who wish to use Hindi in pursuing research across the social sciences, science and technology.

Cambridge's General Board has endorsed a proposal to discontinue offering Sanskrit and Hindi to undergraduates within the Oriental studies tripos only, largely because there is very little demand.

Gordon Johnson
Director of the Centre for South Asian Studies, Cambridge University