For all non-resident Bengalis, who wished their children learnt their mother tongue but could not for lack of relevant schools abroad, here is some good news.
Come April, the Visva Bharati University is all set to introduce online Bengali lessons, particularly for the children of non-resident Indians who rarely learn their mother tongue on foreign lands.
The university, set up by Nobel literature laureate Rabindranath Tagore in 1921, is engaging a US-based firm to put together the course that would be divided into three modules.
Sujit Kumar Basu, the university vice-hancellor says, "The course has been framed in such a manner that it would cater to a beginner and also to someone wishing to pursue higher studies in the Bengali language."
The university has not yet decided upon the fees for the different modules, but said it would be "reasonable".
The varsity decided on the idea of an online course for NRI children after several Bengalis living abroad approached Basu with the proposal.
"There are thousands of Bengalis living abroad who would want their sons and daughters to learn their mother tongue, but cannot do so because there may not be schools teaching the language," said a Visva Bharati official.
The university authorities had initially thought of starting a summer camp for children of NRIs, but later dropped the idea.
"We will not confine this online language education system to Bengali alone. Gradually, more languages would be taught online by the university," the official added.