The annual celebration of World Hindi Day (WHD) falls on 10th January. This day is set aside to promote the Hindi language worldwide. In 2022, it’s notable that UNESCO’s World Heritage Centre (WHC) has agreed to publish Hindi descriptions of India’s World Heritage Sites on its website. Established in 1992, WHC is an authority in coordinating matters related to global heritage. Its primary tasks include organising the annual sessions of the World Heritage Committee and its Bureau, as well as providing advice to States Parties regarding site nominations.
Understanding World Hindi Day
World Hindi Day was first celebrated in 2006. The date marks the anniversary of the inaugural World Hindi Conference, which took place in Nagpur on 10th January 1975. It’s important to note that World Hindi Day differs from National Hindi Day, also known as Hindi Divas. Besides being marked in India, World Hindi Day is also celebrated by Indian embassies across the globe. In Mauritius, the World Hindi Secretariat building was inaugurated in 2018.
National Hindi Day and the Official Use of Hindi
Hindi, written in the Devanagari script, was declared the official language of the Republic of India on 14th September 1949. Consequently, Hindi Divas is celebrated annually on 14th September. Notable figures such as Kaka Kalelkar, Maithili Sharan Gupta, Hazari Prasad Dwivedi, and Seth Govindadas played a significant role in making Hindi the official language. Hindi is also classified under the eighth schedule language, with Article 351 pertaining to the ‘Directive for development of the Hindi language’.
Government Initiatives in Promoting Hindi
To enhance the use of Hindi, the Government of India established the Central Hindi Directorate in 1960 under the Ministry of Education. The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) has also set up ‘Hindi Chairs’ in various foreign universities or institutions abroad. Additionally, the LILA-Rajbhasha is a multimedia-based intelligent self-tutoring application developed for learning Hindi. Other initiatives such as E-Saral Hindi Vakya Kosh and E-Mahashabdkosh Mobile App aim to leverage information technology for the growth of Hindi. The Department of Official Language also rewards contributions to the Hindi language through the Rajbhasha Gaurav Puraskar and Rajbhasha Kirti Puraskar.
Understanding the Hindi Language
Hindi derived its name from the Persian word Hind, signifying ‘land of the Indus River’. The Turk invaders catalogued the language of this region as Hindi, ‘language of the land of the Indus River’, in the early 11th century. While it’s the official language of India, with English being the other official language, Hindi is also spoken in countries like Mauritius, Fiji, Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago, and Nepal. Hindi’s current form emerged through various stages, initially known as Apabhramsa during the old Hindi period. Notably, the romantic play Vikramorvashiyam, written by Kalidas in 400 AD, was penned in Apabhramsa. The modern Devanagari script came into existence around the 11th century.