Hindi Diwas is celebrated on September 14 every year to commemorate the adoption of Hindi as the official language of India by the Constituent Assembly of India on this day in 1949. Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru, the first prime minister of India, officially declared 14 September as the Hindi Diwas.
Hindi is majorly spoken in states like Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Bihar, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Punjab, and also in some countries like Mauritius, Nepal, Fuji, Suriname, Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago.
Hindi, which is written in the Devanagri script, is one of the 22 scheduled languages of the country. Hindi is one of the official languages of the Union Government, with the other being English.
Hindi Diwas 2023: History
After India gained Independence, a need for an official language was felt to streamline communication between government departments and to reach out to the public. The Constituent Assembly then accepted Hindi as the official language of India on September 14, 1949. The first Hindi Diwas was celebrated in 1953. Hindi was adopted as one of the official languages under Article 343 of the Indian Constitution.
Seth Govind Das, Maithili Sharan Gupt, and Kaka Kalelkar, were among the many who pushed to make Hindi India’s official language. Another prominent Hindi scholar, Beohar Rajendra Simha, also pushed for the promotion of the Hindi language. His birthday falls on September 14 and is remembered as Hindi Diwas.
Hindi Diwas 2023: Significance
Hindi is one of the most spoken languages and millions of people around the world speak it. Hindi Diwas is significant as it promotes national integration that brings together linguistic communities in India. It is celebrated every year to promote the culture and heritage of Hindi and the importance of the language in our culture. This day also serves as a reminder of the linguistic diversity that exists within the country.
Hindi Diwas 2023: Celebrations
Government offices, schools, and educational institutions organize various events and activities to mark the occasion. Competitions, quizzes, cultural programs, seminar workshops, and reading sessions are organised across the country.
On this day, many organisations also give awards to writers, poets, and cultural activists who have contributed to enriching the language. Social media users also take the opportunity to share quotes and poems to celebrate Hindi Diwas.
While September 14 is celebrated as Hindi Diwas or National Hindi Divas in India, January 10 is celebrated as World Hindi Day. World Hindi Day is celebrated on January 10 every year, with an aim to promote the use of the Hindi language worldwide.