Bridging Language and Culture: A Conversation with Adhitya Dhanapal

Every day in Dr. Kusum Knapczyk’s Hindi class feels like stepping into a new world, where learning goes far beyond textbooks and vocabulary lists. Instead of limiting ourselves to reading and writing, we are constantly encouraged to engage with the language in real, meaningful ways. One of the most memorable experiences that truly captured this approach was our interaction with Adhitya Dhanapal, Duke’s Resident Librarian for South and Southeast Asian Studies. His visits to our class transformed the learning environment into something dynamic and immersive. Speaking with someone so fluent and confident in Hindi pushed me out of my comfort zone and inspired me to improve my own speaking abilities. Rather than feeling intimidated, I found his presence motivating; it showed me what consistent practice and genuine interest in the language can achieve. Hearing him speak made the language feel alive, not just something to be studied but something to be used, shared, and enjoyed.

In addition to practicing conversational Hindi, we had the opportunity to ask Dr. Dhanapal about his work and experiences, which added another layer of depth to the interaction. Learning about his role at the Duke Libraries was fascinating, especially how he integrates his knowledge of Indian culture into his professional work. It was insightful to see how language skills can extend beyond communication and become a bridge to cultural understanding and academic exploration. His ability to connect Hindi with broader cultural and scholarly contexts made me realize the true value of what we are learning in class. This experience reinforced the idea that language is not just about grammar or vocabulary, but about people, stories, and perspectives. Conversations like these make Hindi class not only educational but also deeply engaging, leaving a lasting impression on how I view language learning as a whole. 

Here my classmates shared their thoughts. Priya mentioned that she appreciated Adhitya’s visit and felt comfortable talking with him and asking her questions in Hindi. Pranav enjoyed the visit too. He was a little nervous at first, but once the conversation began, he felt much more at ease. He also shared that hearing Hindi from someone outside the classroom feels more natural and spontaneous, and he hopes to have more chances to talk with local people about daily life, food, travel, and family traditions to build more useful conversational skills.

Joshua also enjoyed meeting Adhitya and felt pretty comfortable speaking with him. For him, it was a valuable way to test whether he could understand and respond in real time. Looking ahead, he wants to practice everyday topics like food, travel, and daily routines to make his conversations more natural. Aashiv found the meeting helpful because it made him realize he understands Hindi better than he expected, though he feels his speaking skills still need work. Arya reflected on the class visit as well, saying she enjoyed hearing about Adithya’s educational path and would love to learn more about his PhD work in weaving.

This event was supported by Asian and Middle Eastern Studies.