The Hindi Diwas is celebrated every year on September 14 in India. On this day in 1949, India adopted Hindi as an official language. Originated from India, the Hindi language is considered as the 4th most spoken language in the world after English, Spanish and Mandarin. It is the language that is widely spoken in India, mainly in Northern parts of the country where people consider it as their mother tongue. What is the need to celebrate Hindi Diwas or Hindi Day? What is the history behind this day? Get answers of all these questions by further reading into this article that discusses the importance of Hindi Diwas.
What is the History of Hindi Diwas?
We all know the historic story of Indian Independence. India had been under British rule for around two centuries. At that time Indians were introduced to the English language and this language was made the official language as well as the preferred language for higher education. After independence, the country could not continue official works in the English language only because most of the people in India did not have knowledge of English and most of the population used to speak in their mother tongues.
Hindi was the first and preferred language of the major part of the population. So, the Constituent Assembly of India adopted Hindi as the official language on 14th September in 1949 and English was chosen as an associate official language of the newly formed nation. Further, the Indian government accepted this decision making Hindi a part of the Indian constitution on January 26, 1950, and in 1953 India celebrated its first Hindi Diwas.
Some Facts about Hindi
Hindi is written in the Devanagari script. Several Indian states and union territories have adopted Hindi as an official language. Hindi is also mentioned as a language among 22 scheduled languages in the constitution. Let’s understand more interesting facts about Hindi which are given below:
- Hindi is associated with the Indo-Aryan branch of Indo-European languages.
- The Hindi Language was also practiced as a symbol of national identity and unity by different leaders during the freedom struggle.
- Since the 12th century, Hindi has been used as a literary language. Also, many poets and revolutionaries used this language to inspire people to participate in the freedom struggle of India.
- The name ‘Hindi’ is translated from the Persian word ‘Hind’ which means ‘land of the Indus River’.
- The English language has borrowed great number of words from Hindi such as avatar, bandanna, bungalow, loot, lathi, thug, karma, mantra, yoga, etc. Oxford Dictionary has also added Hindi words like Aadhaar, hartal, ghee and many more.
- Alam Ara was the first Hindi voice film which was made in 1931.
What is the purpose of celebrating the Hindi Diwas 2021?
Hindi Diwas is celebrated in India to promote and propagate the official language of our country. This day is also a patriotic reminder to Indians about their common roots and unity. This day tells that we should keep the dignity and value of the Hindi language as it belongs to the land where our roots are lying.
After the independence, the situation in India became very complex as different states and communities wanted to establish their own separate rule with their language, administration and policies. So, it was very difficult to choose a language that will be recognized as the official or national language of the country. There were the efforts of many people like Beohar Rajendra Simha, Hazari Prasad Dwivedi, Kaka Kalelkar, Maithili Sharan Gupt and Seth Govind Das in making Hindi an official language.
Unforgettable efforts of Beohar Rajendra Simha resulted in the adoption of Hindi as an official language. It was his 50th birthday on 14th September in 1949 when Hindi was adopted by the Government of India. So, the Hindi Diwas is also celebrated to remember the efforts and dedication of Beohar Rajendra Simha in making Hindi an official language.
Why do we need to celebrate the Hindi Diwas?
While we celebrate Hindi Diwas on 14 September in India, World Hindi Day is celebrated on January 10 to promote Hindi at the international level. Both these days have their own significance. Hindi is our official language but English is given preference as a classy language in many sections of society and has been also associated with the status. The use of English has also been increased as Multinational Companies (MNCs) operate their functions in English.
The use of the internet and social media is also increasing which forced people to use English more. However, most of the people didn’t know that English is the language that has adopted so many words from Hindi and Sanskrit which we have been using in daily life thinking that they are English words. So, it is necessary to make people realize the importance of Hindi and what role it plays in our life. Due to Hindi’s popularity and raising awareness about Hindi through Hindi Diwas and other campaigns, many modern and digital platforms have started operations and services in Hindi.
The formation of the Hindi language follows a systematic approach which makes it an easy-to-understand language. That is why our former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh started World Hindi Day or Vishwa Hindi Diwas not only to celebrate Hindi as a unique language in India but also to explore it to the other parts of the world. Therefore, being an Indian, it is our duty to encourage people to learn the language and to promote Hindi among people by celebrating Hindi Diwas.
Celebration of Hindi Diwas 2021 in India
India every year celebrates National Hindi Day by distributing many awards. The President of India presents the Rajbhasha awards on the occasion of Hindi Day or Hindi Diwas to the people who have made their contributions towards the language. A ceremony is organized every year in Delhi to distribute the awards. ‘Rajbhasha Kirti Puraskar‘ formerly known as ‘Indira Gandhi Rajbhasha Puraskar‘ and ‘Rajbhasha Gaurav Puraskar‘ formerly known as ‘Rajiv Gandhi Rashtriya Gyan-Vigyan Maulik Pustak Lekhan Puraskar‘ are awarded in this ceremony.
Schools, colleges and some other government and non-government organizations also organize different events such as speech on Hindi Diwas, Hindi essay writing competitions, Hindi poems and posters, Hindi Diwas slogans competitions, etc. to celebrate this day. Apart from all of these activities, people also share Hindi Diwas wishes, Hindi Diwas quotes, Hindi Diwas articles and promote this day on social media. The posts shared or posted by the people consists Hindi Day 2021 messages, Hindi Diwas 2021 images, etc.
Conclusion
India is a country of diverse cultures and languages; probably that is why we do not have any national language yet. Hindi being an official language, has its own significance and deserves respect across the country. As various renowned technology companies including social media platforms are now offering services in Hindi due to its wide reach and popularity, we can see this language developing more in the coming years. With the aim and motive to promote Hindi, School Megamart also wishes you Happy Hindi Diwas 2021 and offers several books related to Hindi, whether it is academic books, sample papers, novels or children activity books.
Hindi Diwas 2021: FAQs
Q1. What is the Hindi Diwas celebration date in India?
Ans. The celebration date of Hindi Diwas in India is 14th September and India annually celebrates this day on the same date.
Q2. How was the National Hindi Diwas created?
Ans. After independence, India was preparing its constitution and with continuous efforts of Beohar Rajendra Simha, Hindi (written in Devanagari script) was adopted as the official language by the Constituent Assembly on September 14, 1949. Since then, Hindi Diwas is being celebrated in India.
Q3. How can students celebrate Hindi Diwas in school?
Ans. School can organize different events or highlighting activities on this day like speech recitation, essay writing, recitation of Doheys of Kabir, Rahim and Tulsi Das, Hindi poem or kavita recitation, Hindi nibhand or essay writing, Hindi patriotic songs singing, dancing, general knowledge about Hindi language quiz competition, drama playing, slogan writing, etc for the students of various classes keeping in mind the COVID-19 precautions.
Q4. What are the ways to celebrate Hindi Day online?
Ans. Amid the COVID pandemic, people are avoiding going outside. They have also opted an alternative way for celebrating different events. Similarly, Hindi Diwas can also be celebrated online through different social media platforms. You can post poems, articles, messages, slogans related to the day on social media platforms and share them among your friends. Virtual activities can also be organized on such platforms. You can also make a video about the importance and significance of Hindi Diwas and can post it on the internet.
Q5. Does the Hindi language is mentioned in the Constitution of India?
Ans. Indian Consitution recognizes 22 languages in which Hindi is also included and adopted as an official language of India.
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