Melbourne: When was the last time you heard a foreigner speak in fluent Hindi, or say, more fluently than you? Ian Woolford, a UK-born American is a lecturer at Australia's La Trobe University, where he teaches Hindi language and Literature.
Ian Woolford
Unlike others, he is not like one of those foreigners who have trouble pronouncing Hindi words and a problematic accent. Instead, he happens to have a much better command at the language than many of us.
In an interview to The Lallantop, Woolford said he had a connection with the foreign language since childhood. While in school in Trinidad, 12-year-old Woolford started singing Bhajans and Lok Geet with friends, and hence, began his love affair with Hindi.
Ian Woolford
He pursued his Masters and Ph. D in Hindi Language and Literature, adding to which he said it was his love for music and performance that attracted him to the language.
Woolford is currently working on a book on a famous Hindi writer, Phanishwar Nath Renu, of whom he is a very big fan. He is a great admirer of Amitabh Bachchan too.
Ian Woolford with Big B
Seeing his love for India, it is not difficult to believe that he has visited India quite a few times during which he stayed at places like Varanasi, Bihar, Jaipur etc.
We must say, you definitely gave us major language goals!
