Hindi Diwas is celebrated every year on 14 September to honor the Hindi language and its role in India’s cultural and social identity. 2025 marks the 76th anniversary of the Constituent Assembly adopting Hindi (in Devanagari script) as one of India’s official languages on 14 September 1949.
Celebrations include competitions, literary events, Hindi Pakhwada (1–15 September), and the Akhil Bharatiya Rajbhasha Sammelan, promoting use of Hindi in official and public communication.
Hindi Diwas 2025 Theme
- Expected Theme: “Hindi: The Strength of National Unity and Global Identity” (official announcement awaited).
- Focus:
- Expansion of Hindi in new domains (digital communication, global forums).
- Recognition of Hindi as a unifying linguistic force.
History of Hindi Diwas
- 14 September 1949: Constituent Assembly adopted Hindi in Devanagari script as an official language of India.
- 1953: First Hindi Diwas celebrated.
- Proposal: Beohar Rajendra Simha, a strong advocate of Hindi, suggested observing Hindi Diwas (his birthday coincides with 14 September).
- Promotional Role: Rashtrabhasha Prachar Samiti, Wardha played a key role in spreading Hindi awareness.
Importance of Hindi Diwas
- Celebrates India’s linguistic and cultural identity.
- Encourages wider use of Hindi in administration, education, literature, and technology.
- Reminds citizens of Hindi’s role in national unity and global cultural presence.
- Reinforces pride in Hindi as a language with both heritage value and modern relevance.
About Hindi
- Language Family: Belongs to the Indo-European → Indo-Aryan branch, descended from Sanskrit.
- Global Ranking: 4th most spoken language in the world (after Chinese, Spanish, and English).
- Speakers: Spoken by ~44% of Indians as per 2011 Census; widely spoken in countries like Mauritius, Nepal, Fiji, Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad & Tobago.
- Writing System: Written in Devanagari script; has ~16 dialects (Awadhi, Bhojpuri, Bundeli, Khariboli, etc.).
- UN Recognition: Not yet an official UN language, though India has been campaigning since 2015.
- 2021 Census: ~197,000 Hindi speakers officially recorded abroad, showing global growth.
Indian States with Hindi as an Official Language
- Primary Official Language: Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh.
- Secondary Official Language: Delhi, Chandigarh.
Significance of Hindi Language
- Official Status: Hindi, along with English, is an official language under Article 343(1) of the Constitution.
- Article 351: Directs Union to promote the spread of Hindi, enriching it by assimilating vocabulary from other Indian languages and Sanskrit.
- Linguistic Bridge: Connects diverse communities across India; official language in 11 Indian states.
- Cultural Heritage: Rooted in Sanskrit, Prakrit, and Apabhramsha, forming part of India’s ancient literary tradition.
Government Initiatives to Promote Hindi
- Hindi Pakhwada (Sept 1–15): Encourages Hindi in official work.
- Awards: Rajbhasha Gaurav Puraskar, Rajbhasha Kirti Puraskar for contributions to Hindi promotion.
- Hindi Sahitya Sammelan Act, 1956: Supports Hindi authors and literary events.
- Central Hindi Training Institute (CHTI): Offers Hindi courses for non-Hindi speakers.
- Digital Push: Unicode-based Hindi promotion on digital platforms.
- World Hindi Secretariat (1999): Joint initiative with Mauritius for global recognition; advocates UN official language status for Hindi.
Key Facts
- Official Languages of India: 22 languages listed in the 8th Schedule of the Constitution.
- Articles Related to Language in Indian Constitution:
- Art. 343(1): Hindi in Devanagari script as official language of Union.
- Art. 344: Commission and Committee of Parliament on Official Language.
- Art. 351: Directive for development and promotion of Hindi.
- First Hindi Diwas Celebration: 1953.
- Eminent Hindi Writers: Munshi Premchand, Ramdhari Singh Dinkar, Harivansh Rai Bachchan, Maithili Sharan Gupt.
- International Hindi Conferences: World Hindi Conference started in 1975 (Nagpur, Maharashtra).
- UN Languages: English, French, Spanish, Chinese, Russian, Arabic → India pushes for Hindi’s inclusion.