Hindi Diwas, celebrated on September 14, recognizes the importance of the Hindi language, which holds various official statuses in countries outside India, including Fiji, the UAE, South Africa, and Nepal.
Theme for Hindi Diwas 2024
The theme for 2024 is “Hindi – the bridge between traditional knowledge and artificial intelligence.” This colour is symbolic, which reflects the intention of combining Indian cultural values with modern technologies, particularly Artificial Intelligence.
This year’s commemoration has added importance as it is the 75th year since Hindi was made one of the official languages of India by the Constituent Assembly in 1949. Some activities that will be performed during the celebrations have to be related to the setting up of time when Hindi should be used in other facets of life and official business to show that it is a means that unites people of various linguistic diversities in India.
Official Status of Hindi in Various Countries
Hindi, one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, holds a significant cultural and linguistic influence beyond India's borders. While it is the official language of India, Hindi also enjoys various levels of recognition and status in several other countries. From being an official language to holding a key role in regional communication, the spread of Hindi across different nations reflects its global importance.
Fiji
In Fiji, Hindi is recognized as an official language, specifically referred to as Fiji Hindi. It plays a crucial role in the cultural identity of the Indo-Fijian community, reflecting the historical migration of Indians to Fiji. The Fijian Constitution acknowledges Hindi, facilitating its use in government and education.
United Arab Emirates (UAE)
In the UAE, Hindi has been adopted as the third official court language in the Emirate of Abu Dhabi. This status allows the significant Indian workforce in the UAE to file complaints in their native language, enhancing accessibility to legal processes for Hindi speakers.
South Africa
Hindi enjoys protected status in South Africa, where the Constitution mandates the Pan South African Language Board to promote and respect Hindi alongside other languages. Despite its historical presence, there has been limited academic study on its evolution and current use in the country.
Nepal
In Nepal, Hindi is spoken by approximately 77,569 people as a first language and by over a million as a second language. The language has faced political challenges, particularly highlighted by the controversy surrounding Paramananda Jha, who took his oath in Hindi as vice-president, leading to protests and legal disputes regarding using Hindi in official capacities.
Across these nations, common activities during Hindi Diwas include:
- Cultural Performances: Performing what is technically defined as folk music and dance.
- Poetry Recitals: Promoting the art of writing using the Hindi language by reading poems.
- Workshops and Seminars: These are concerned with the historical development of the Hindi language.
- Competitions: Recipient-directed approach involving the participants in essay writing, debates, and quizzes patriotic and related to Hindi literature.
Altogether these traditions play a great role in propagating and observing the language being part of the cultural ethos among different groups of people in particular Hindi speaking community.
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