Dr Gaurav Sharma, one of New Zealand’s youngest and newly elected MPs, was sworn in in Sanskrit on Wednesday in the country’s Parliament.
Sharma, 33, a native of Hamirpur in Himachal Pradesh, was recently elected Member of Parliament for the Labor Party for Hamilton West in New Zealand.
India’s High Commissioner for New Zealand and Samoa, Muktesh Pardeshi, said on Twitter that Sharma was sworn in first in “New Zealand’s indigenous Maori language, followed by the classical Indian language, Sanskrit, showing deep respect for the cultural traditions of India and New Zealand “. Sharma, who did his MBBS from Auckland and his MBA from Washington, works as a general practitioner (GP) in Nawton, Hamilton. He has previously been involved in public health, policy, medicine, and consulting in New Zealand, Spain, the United States, Nepal, Vietnam, Mongolia, Switzerland, and India.
In response to a Twitter user who asked why he did not take the oath in Hindi, Sharma said that it is difficult to keep everyone happy, so he decided to use Sanskrit as it pays tribute to all Indian languages.
To be honest I thought about it, but then there was the question of doing it in Pahari (my first language) or Punjabi. It’s hard to keep everyone happy. Sanskrit made sense as it pays homage to all Indian languages (including the many I can’t speak) https://t.co/q1A3eb27z3
– Dr. Gaurav Sharma MP (@gmsharmanz) November 25, 2020
“To be honest, I thought about it, but then there was the question of doing it in Pahari (my first language) or Punjabi. It’s hard to keep everyone happy. Sanskrit made sense as it pays tribute to all Indian languages (including the many I can’t speak), ”he said in a tweet.
Videos of the swearing in have gone viral on social media. Many praised the deputy for bringing the Indian language to a global platform.
A proud moment for India that Dr. @gmsharmanz Originally from Himachal Pradesh, he created history by becoming the first Indian-born MP to take the oath in #Sanskrit in New Zealand after winning the election as the Hamilton West Labor Party candidate. pic.twitter.com/klVK1JXgzF
– Priti Gandhi – प्रीति गांधी (@MrsGandhi) November 25, 2020
Wow !!! Newly elected Hamilton West MP, Dr Gaurav Sharma, sworn in ‘Sanskrit’ in New Zealand Parliament India’s culture on the global platform
– Megh Updates 🚨 (@MeghUpdates) November 25, 2020
Sharma, who had fought unsuccessfully in the 2017 election, defeated Tim Macindoe of the National Party this year.
Earlier this month, Priyanca Radhakrishnan became New Zealand’s Indian-origin prime minister after Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern added five new ministers to her executive. Born in India, Radhakrishnan, 41, went to school in Singapore before moving to New Zealand to continue her education.
(Wih PTI inputs)
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