Rashtriya Hindi Divas, recognized annually on September 14th, marks the significance of the Hindi language in India. It is the most widely spoken language in the nation, with 43.63% of India’s population speaking it. This language is not only nationally significant, but also globally, as it ranks fourth after Mandarin, Spanish, and English in terms of the highest number of speakers worldwide. This article provides an overview of the history, constitutional provisions, and global promotion activities associated with the Hindi language.
A Look at the Past: Adoption and Contestation
On September 14, 1949, the Constituent Assembly of India formally recognized Hindi, written in Devnagari Script, as the official language of the country under Article 343(1) of the constitution, along with English. English was initially given the status of official language for a period of 15 years, during which the reach of the Hindi language was to be encouraged for both official use and educational purposes.
However, this move was met with resistance from non-Hindi states, particularly Tamil Nadu in the south. The vehement protests resulted in then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru introducing the ‘Official Languages Act’ in 1963. This act assured that English would continue to be used along with Hindi as the official language of the Union of India. Anti-Hindi protests of 1965 became a pivotal moment in India’s official language policy. As a consequence, the ‘Official Languages Act’ was amended in 1967, assuring the “virtual indefinite policy of bilingualism” for all official Union purposes.
Constitutional Provisions for Hindi
According to Article 343(1), the Union government’s official language is to be Hindi in Devanagari script. Furthermore, Article 351 empowers the Union Government to issue a directive for the development of the Hindi language. Hindi is recognized as one of the 22 languages under the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution of India.
Worldwide Promotion for the Hindi Language
In a landmark moment, the Indian Prime Minister in 2018 became the first head of government to deliver a speech at the World Economic Forum in a national language other than English.
| Year | Promotion Step |
|---|---|
| 2018 | Creation of Hindi Twitter account for the UN. |
| 2006 | Recognition of January 10th as World Hindi Day. |
| 1977 | First speech in Hindi delivered at the United Nations. |
Initiatives for Global Recognition
To further promote Hindi on a global scale, the Government of India has taken several initiatives. It collaborated with the Government of Mauritius to establish the World Hindi Secretariat in Port Louis, Mauritius. This institution serves to promote and spread the usage of Hindi worldwide. The Indian Government also led the effort in creating a Hindi Twitter account for the United Nations in 2018.
The first World Hindi Conference took place in Nagpur on January 10, 1975, another milestone in the recognition of Hindi globally. Since 2006, this day is celebrated as World Hindi Day by the government of India. The then Minister of External Affairs, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, was the first person to give a speech in Hindi at the United Nations in 1977, furthering the international prominence of the language.
