Hindi: Uniting the Diverse Cultures in India and Beyond
Dr. Shubhankar Mishra
The renowned linguist, philosopher and cognitive scientist Noam Chomsky once said, "A language is not just words. Its a culture, a tradition, a unification of a community, a whole history that creates what a community is. Its all embodied in a language." This quote emphasises that language is more than just a collection of words; it encompasses the essence of human connection and heritage. The profound significance of languages is what makes them truly remarkable.
On August 15, 1947 India gained independence from British colonial rule after a long struggle and resistance. This historic moment not only marked the end of a period of subjugation but also opened the way for India to pursue its own destiny as a proud and sovereign nation.
In next two years, Hindi, written in the Devanagari script, was officially adopted as the language of the Republic of India on September 14, 1949. It was a significant step as it not only united the nation but also preserved India's rich cultural and political heritage. Subsequently, on January 26, 1950, it became the official language of the Union of India upon adopting the Constitution. Article 343 (1) of the Constitution of India specifies that Hindi in the Devanagari script shall be the official language of the Union, mandating the use of international Indian numerals for all official purposes. Hindi, the official language of the Republic of India, is also the official language of eleven states and three union territories.
Every year on September 14, Hindi Diwas is celebrated to honour the adoption of Hindi as India's official language. This day is a celebration and a significant platform dedicated to promoting Hindi as India's official language. Hindi Diwas plays a crucial role in enlightening us about the beauty and significance of the language. In addition to 'Hindi Diwas', January 10 is celebrated as 'Vishwa Hindi Diwas' worldwide to commemorate the anniversary of the first World Hindi Conference held in Nagpur in 1975. These commemorative occasions serve as a reminder of the importance of Hindi and its unique charm within the country and beyond.
This year, on September 14, we celebrate the 75th anniversary of Hindi Diwas. With its rich history and versatility, Hindi unites over 600 million people worldwide. Derived from Sanskrit and closely related to Urdu, Hindi serves various purposes, including literature, poetry, music and film, bringing joy and a profound sense of connection to millions of hearts. According to the 2011 census, 43.6% of the Indian population identified Hindi as their mother tongue. A digital catalogue of language metadata 'Ethnologue.com', showcases Hindi with a thriving digital support system that offers numerous resources for language learners, including virtual assistants, primary texts, lexical resources, language descriptions and other language-related materials.
Articles 120 and 343 to 351 of the Indian Constitution outline the official language provisions. Article 120, Clause (1) specifies that notwithstanding anything in Part XVII, but subject to the Article 348, business in Parliament shall be transacted in Hindi or in English.
Part XVII of the Indian Constitution includes Articles 343 to 351, which deal with India's official language policy. These articles and related documents, such as the Official Languages Act, 1963; President's Order, 1960; Official Language Resolution, 1968 and the Official Language Rules, 1976, as well as subsequent directives from the Department of Official Language, Ministry of Home Affairs, discuss in detail the purposes for which Hindi alone, both Hindi and English and English alone are to be used.
The significance of Hindi can be understood from various perspectives, including linguistic unity, heritage preservation, promotion of Hindi as a national identity, cultural exchange, government administration, promotion of other Indian languages and educational significance. Hindi was adopted as an official language to simplify administration in a multilingual nation. The Government of India is committed towards enhancing its accessibility and widespread usage through persuasive measures, incentives, and goodwill.
The government emphasises the use of Hindi within the country and internationally. For this purpose, dedicated institutions have been established under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Education and Ministry of Law and Justice to lead these efforts. These institutions play a crucial role in integrating Hindi into official work and highlighting its significance in governance. In addition, the Ministry of External Affairs promotes Hindi beyond borders to achieve its objectives.
The Department of Official Language, under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), supervises several subordinate offices. These include the Central Translation Bureau (CTB), responsible for translating non-statutory literature and providing training materials such as codes, manuals and forms. The Central Hindi Training Institute (CHTI) imparts training to Central Government personnel in Hindi language, Hindi typing and shorthand. Additionally, the Committee of Parliament on Official Language provides secretarial services to the Committee of Parliament on Official Language. The Department also has several Regional Implementation Offices nationwide dedicated to ensuring compliance with the Official Language Policy. These offices conduct inspections, meetings and other activities to promote and propagate Hindi as the official language. The Department's website offers administrative glossaries of simple words and other necessary tools to popularise Hindi. Furthermore, the Department of Official Language has introduced incentive schemes like 'Rajbhasha Kirti', 'Rajbhasha Gaurav', and 'Regional Official Language Award' Schemes to encourage the imple-mentation of the official language, Hindi, across the country.
Education plays a pivotal role in human development and societal progress, with language as a crucial tool for sharing knowledge. Language education signi-ficantly contributes to mental growth and knowledge generation by aiding cognitive development. The Ministry of Education oversees several organisations dedicated to developing and promoting Hindi as a medium of education. These organi-sations, namely the Kendriya Hindi Sansthan (KHS) in Agra, the Central Hindi Directorate (CHD) in New Delhi, the Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT) in New Delhi and the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL) in Mysuru, demonstrate unwavering commitment to their respective mandates.
The Kendriya Hindi Sansthan (KHS) promotes Hindi by improving Hindi teaching and training for teachers, offering advanced Hindi studies and conducting language-related research. The Central Hindi Directorate (CHD) in New Delhi teaches Hindi to non-Hindi speaking Indians and foreigners and also publishes bilingual and trilingual dictionaries for regional and foreign languages. The Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology (CSTT), established under Article 344 (4) of the Constitution, aims to develop and define scientific and technical terms in Hindi and all Indian languages. It also works to publish glossaries, definitional dictionaries and encyclopedias. At the same time, the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL) is the leading institute for developing all Indian languages and also, it carries out extensive research and publications on Indian languages.
Nelson Mandela, the first President of South Africa, once said, "If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his language, that goes to his heart." This quote emphasises the importance of the mother tongue as more than just a language. The mother tongue not only serves as the foundation for learning new languages but also helps children develop a firm grasp of language structure, ultimately benefiting their academic performance. In line with this, the National Education Policy (NEP), 2020 aims to establish an education system, deeply rooted in India's culture, contributing to the nation's development into a vibrant and fair knowledge society. The policy emphasises on the importance of using a child's home language or mother tongue as the medium of instruction at least until Grade 5. The predominant mother tongue, Hindi, undeniably plays a crucial role as a medium of education in the Indian education system.
In today's world, where diversity and inclusion are highly valued, the law must align with these values by ensuring access to justice. The UN's Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16 aims to foster peaceful and inclusive societies, guarantee equal access to justice and establish effective, accountable and inclusive institutions. Within the Ministry of Law and Justice, the Official Language Wing diligently works to standardise legal terminology in the official language and provide precise Hindi translations of central Acts, Ordinances and Regulations. This effort ensures that information and access to justice are readily available in official languages, significantly improving the accessibility of legal texts and verdicts for ordinary people in their native language.
The movement of people from their homelands to other parts of the world for various reasons is intriguing. According to the 2024 'World Migration Report', released by the 'International Organization for Migration' (IOM), India has the largest diaspora in the world, numbering nearly 18 million people. This diaspora significantly impacted world culture, starting from modest beginnings and achieving great success. Often known as the 'Knowledge Diaspora', this community is highly educated, successful and innovative and has played a crucial role in shaping global culture.
Hindi is becoming increasingly important globally, especially among the Indian diaspora, regardless of their origin within the country. It has a significant global presence, particularly in Nepal, Fiji, Mauritius, Suriname and Guyana. Bridging cultural gaps across continents, Hindi is a vital language to learn in today's globalised world and contributes to its global recognition.
The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) is committed towards promoting Hindi and engaging with the Indian diaspora in foreign countries and reaffirms its dedication through its Missions abroad. It has established a vast network of Indian Cultural Centres abroad and appointed several Second Secretaries and Attaches (Hindi and Culture) at various missions to help expand the language's popularity. The Ministry has undertaken several impactful initiatives, such as providing scholarships and fellowships, establishing the World Hindi Secretariat in Mauritius in collaboration with the local government, setting up Hindi chairs in foreign universities and hosting events like the World Hindi Conference, Pravasi Bhartiya Diwas etc. These endeavours effectively connect people across continents and bridge cultural divides.
It is important to remember that language is not simply a means of communication but is a crucial tool that allows us to share knowledge, connect with others and preserve our cultural heritage. The Global Education Monitoring (GEM) Report, published by UNESCO, has released a policy paper titled 'If you don't understand, how can you learn?' The paper highlights that a staggering 40% of people worldwide are deprived of education in their mother tongue, which significantly impedes children's learning, especially those living in poverty. Research consistently demonstrates that individuals who are proficient in their native language tend to perform well academically. Therefore, advocating for the use of mother tongues such as Hindi is not just a cultural initiative but also a crucial educational strategy that can build diverse and inclusive societies and help individuals reach their full potential.
Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore eloquently emphasised the importance of Hindi, describing it as the "ocean" among the many rivers of India's languages - "Bharat ki bhashayen nadiyan hain aur Hindi mahanadi".
Our cultural and linguistic diversity is a precious gift that we should embrace and celebrate. Hindi is integral to our rich heritage and culture, uniting us from all over India and beyond. We must work towards promoting and preserving it. As we celebrate the 75th Hindi Diwas, we pledge to raise awareness about the language and promote it as an emblem of prosperity. Listening, Speaking, Reading, and Writing (LSRW) in Hindi not only honours our heritage, culture and identity but also significantly connects us more deeply and authentically with others. Let's take pride in learning and using
Hindi, making it a fundamental part of our communication. "Hindi Diwas Abhinandan!" - Greetings for Hindi Diwas 2024.
(The author is Indian Representative in the World Hindi Secretariat, Mauritius, as Deputy Secretary General. Feedback on this article can be shared at feedback.employment news@ gmail.com).
Views expressed are personal.