English is the medium of communication for people all over India.

Host: The café was bustling, the low hum of conversation mixing with the clink of coffee cups and the soft shuffle of chairs being pulled in and out. Outside, the city was alive — honking cars, pedestrians weaving through the streets, and the distant whirr of trains. Inside, however, the atmosphere was quieter, a temporary escape from the chaos outside.

Jack sat at the window table, his laptop open but his focus on the world outside, the city unfolding like a story. Jeeny sat across from him, her phone in hand but her eyes on him. She had a habit of noticing the little things — the way the light fell on his face, the quiet way he seemed to process the world.

Jeeny: (looking up from her phone, voice thoughtful) “Aparna Sen once said, ‘English is the medium of communication for people all over India.’”

(She paused, letting the words sit between them.) “You think that’s true? That language has this power to connect people from so many different backgrounds?”

Jack: (leaning back in his chair, his voice reflective) “In India, maybe it’s more true than anywhere else. English isn’t just a language; it’s the bridge between cultures, between regions. It’s the thread that ties together people from different parts of the country who speak different languages.”

Jeeny: (nodding, her eyes steady) “I think that's why it’s so powerful. It’s not just the language of communication. It’s the language of understanding, of shared experience.”

Jack: (smiling slightly) “It’s strange, though. Here, we see English as a symbol of power. In India, it’s more of a necessity. It’s the language of access, of education, of business. But also the language of connection — connecting people who otherwise wouldn’t have a common tongue.”

Jeeny: (gently) “It’s like a quiet unifier. One that allows for dialogue and understanding, even when everything else is different. And that’s why people who speak English in India don’t just see it as ‘foreign’ anymore. It’s a part of them.”

Host: The chatter in the café grew louder for a moment, then faded back into the background. The light outside softened, the city’s energy filtering through the windows. The thought of language as a unifier seemed to linger between them, weaving its own quiet connection.

Jeeny: “You know, the thing about English in India is that it doesn’t erase other languages. It doesn’t replace them. It just creates a layer of accessibility.”

Jack: (thoughtfully, almost to himself) “Exactly. It’s a way to transcend regional boundaries. It’s like a second skin, one that allows people to communicate, even if their mother tongue is different. It doesn’t diminish the richness of the many other languages; it enhances it.”

Jeeny: (smiling, her voice soft) “That’s the beauty of it, isn’t it? That something as simple as language can shape the way we see the world — and help us understand each other more deeply.”

Jack: (nodding, his smile widening) “It’s like every time someone speaks English in India, it’s not just about the words. It’s about what those words represent — a shared experience, a shared history.”

Host: The city outside moved on, cars weaving between each other, lights blinking at the intersections, pedestrians moving in rhythmic patterns. But inside, the conversation had settled into something more peaceful, a quiet understanding about the importance of communication and connection.

Jeeny: (gently, as if letting the thought settle in) “And in a way, that’s what Aparna Sen means. English is more than just a language. It’s a vehicle for conversation, for growth. It’s a tool that allows people to move beyond their differences.”

Jack: (his voice quiet but certain) “A tool that doesn’t erase differences but makes it possible to bridge them. It gives us a way to speak, to connect, to learn from each other.”

Host: The light outside began to fade, the evening creeping in, but the feeling of connection remained. The chatter around them quieted as the café settled into a calm, and for a brief moment, it wasn’t just about the words being spoken but the unspoken understanding they carried.

Jack and Jeeny shared a quiet look, an acknowledgment of the deeper layer of meaning between them, of the way language — like everything else — connects, transcends, and shapes the world.

And in that fleeting moment, they both understood: Language, no matter how universal, doesn’t just help us speak. It helps us listen.