Describing Sanskrit as a unique feature of the country's cultural heritage, Uttarakhand Governor Aziz Qureshi said it is the appeal of this ancient language which has led to the translation of Indian scriptures into more than hundred lanuguages the world over.

"Sanskrit is the biggest contributor to the rich cultural heritage of India. It is the unique and everlasting appeal of this language that the Vedas have been translated into 133 languages of the world,"he told a function here yesterday to mark the foundation day of Gurukul, a city based institute imparting transitional Indian education.

The vision of life as enshrined in the Vedas, Puranas, Upanishads, Bhagwad Gita and the Ramayana written in Sanskrit have given India the status of a world leader in philosophical matters, he said.

Speaking about the power of the Gayatri Mantra and its salutary effect on those who recite it regularly, the Governor said he was making efforts to ensure that Sanskrit gets a special status in Uttarakhand.

Addressing the function Shashiprabha Kumar, Chairperson of Delhi Sanskrit Academy said westernised education in English medium had taken the younger generation away from the essence of India''s cultural heritage.