In much of the West, bilingualism is often framed as a cognitive edge ~ an acquired skill to sharpen the ageing brain or enrich young minds. In India, it’s a birthright. Most Indians switch daily between a mother tongue, a state language, Hindi, and English, often unconsciously. Yet while studies in Europe and North America debate whether speaking multiple languages offers protection against cognitive decline, India quietly embodies a vast, uncontrolled experiment in multilingual living. The science may be unsettled, but the lived experience is already deeply instructive. Earlier studies suggested that bilingualism enhances “executive function” ~ the mental muscle behind planning and decision-making ~ and may delay the onset of dementia. More recent research, however, has been cautious.

Some findings have failed replication. Others reveal that the benefits accrue most clearly to those who are fluent and........

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