World Hindi Day 2024: Why and How Is It Celebrated?

“Hindi ke bina main gunga hoon”- Mahatma Gandhi

(Translation – Without Hindi, I am voiceless)

India's linguistic diversity is well-known around the world. As you travel across the country, you will see and hear people speaking a different language every few kilometres. But there is one language that ties the entire nation together, i.e., Hindi. 

Hindi is one of the two official languages of India, as recognised by Schedule 8 of the Indian constitution. It is one of the widely spoken languages across the length and breadth of the country, and with people migrating to different parts, you will definitely find Hindi-speaking people all over India. 

Celebrating the Hindi Language

There is a special day dedicated to celebrating the beautiful Hindi language. It is known as World Hindi Day. If you are wondering what the World Hindi Day date is. It is celebrated worldwide on January 10th. This day is observed to commemorate the first World Hindi Conference, or the Vishva Hindi Sammelan, which was held in 1975 in Nagpur, Maharashtra.

This day is dedicated to honouring both, the Hindi language and the many authors and poets who have contributed to Hindi literature. In 2006, the then Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, declared January 10th as World Hindi Day to showcase Hindi as a language that connects people worldwide and for this language to establish itself as a global language. 

Celebrating World Hindi Day – A Way to Showing Love to a Widely Spoken Language in India

Every year on January 10th, educational institutions, government and even private offices in India celebrate World Hindi Day in different ways. In schools and colleges, the day is celebrated with great zeal and enthusiasm, as they organise events and competitions among students like creative writing, poem recitation, speeches, essay writing, plays and skits, etc. 

Of course, the Hindi language is used for all these. Such events not only bring out the hidden linguistic talents of the individuals but also emphasise the importance of how a language can be used as a powerful medium not just to communicate but also to make a social difference. Such events are typically more common in northern parts of India.

Many local political parties and social groups also celebrate the day with fanfare to remind everyone about the importance of World Hindi Day and the value of our mother tongues and regional languages. 

Difference Between World Hindi Day and National Hindi Diwas

The World Hindi Day is often confused with the National Hindi Diwas. While both these days celebrate the Hindi language and seek to promote this beautiful language at a global level, they have different objectives and histories. 

The National Hindi Diwas is observed on September 14th, and it is a day to celebrate the Constituent Assembly's approval of Hindi as India's official language. 

Now that you know the significance and history of World Hindi Day let us look at some interesting facts about our language. These facts would make you feel proud of being an Indian citizen and the Hindi language.  

10 Fascinating Facts about Hindi Language

As the whole of India gets ready to celebrate World Hindi Day 2024 and commemorate this beautiful language, let us look at some of the fascinating things about Hindi. 

• The word 'Hindi' comes from 'Hind,' a Persian word which means the 'Land of the Indus River.'
• Hindi is a descendant of Sanskrit, which is one of the oldest languages in the world
• About 600 million people worldwide speak Hindi, which is about 4.46% of the global population. It makes Hindi the third most spoken language in the world. In India alone, as per the 2011 census, 43% of the country’s population are native Hindi speakers. 
• The Hindi script is called the Devanagari script, which is also used to write Nepali, Sanskrit and Marathi.
• Outside India, Hindi is spoken extensively in many foreign countries. In fact, it is the official language in Fiji. It is acknowledged as a regional language in Mauritius, Trinidad and Tobago, Nepal, Guyana, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Suriname.
• Prem Sagar, a book written by an Indian author named Lallu Lal in 1805, is the first published Hindi book. 
• In 1977, the Indian Prime Minister, Mr. Ata Bihari Vajpayee, showed his respect and love for the Hindi language by delivering a speech in Hindi to the United Nations. 
• Many Hindi words like ‘Achha,’ ‘Bada Din,’ ‘Bacha,’ and ‘Surya Namaskar’ have been included in the Oxford Dictionary. These words were added to the dictionary in 2017. 
• Hindi and Urdu are referred to as 'sister languages.' Although they have different scripts, the spoken form of Hindi and Urdu is colloquially referred to as 'Hindustani.'
• Hindi has gifted the world with many words. Terms like 'guru', 'karma', and 'yoga' are used extensively worldwide, and they have seamlessly integrated into English and other global languages. This linguistic influence is a testament to Hindi's contribution to global vocabulary. 

World Hindi Day is the day to respect and celebrate the Hindi language's global impact. It reminds us of the beauty in our cultural heritage.