Vishva Hindi Divas (World Hindi Day), celebrated on January 10, serves as a global tribute to one of the most widely spoken languages in the world—Hindi. With over 600 million speakers across the globe, Hindi not only represents India’s linguistic diversity but also symbolises the cultural richness of the nation.
The day honours the profound role of Hindi in uniting people across India and around the world, reinforcing its position as a language of cultural pride, communication, and national unity. Vishva Hindi Divas is more than just a celebration of language; it is a reminder of the heritage, history, and unity that Hindi fosters both within India and across the world. The day emphasises the role of Hindi in preserving India’s traditions while promoting a sense of togetherness among its multilingual communities.
The celebration focuses on increasing the global footprint of Hindi and encouraging its use as a means of cultural exchange, fostering understanding among diverse linguistic groups. In India, National Hindi Divas is observed on September 14, marking the day in 1949 when Hindi was officially adopted as the country’s official language. However, Vishva Hindi Divas, celebrated on January 10, highlights the international importance of Hindi as a language of communication and unity, reflecting India’s global outreach and cultural diplomacy.
The theme for World Hindi Day 2025 is “A Global Voice of Unity and Cultural Pride.” The focus is on encouraging the use of Hindi not just within India but as an international medium of exchange for cultural, educational, and diplomatic interactions. Through this, World Hindi Day aims to elevate Hindi’s status on the world stage and foster a sense of cultural pride among its speakers.
The history of Hindi’s role as India’s official language dates back to the drafting of the Indian Constitution, which sought to accommodate the country’s immense linguistic diversity. In 1949, after much deliberation, the Constituent Assembly of India decided to adopt Hindi in the Devanagari script as one of the official languages of the Republic of India. While no language is officially recognised as the “national language” in the Constitution, Hindi holds a special status alongside 21 other languages. This decision was not without controversy, as India’s linguistic landscape is marked by a rich variety of regional languages. Nevertheless, Hindi emerged as the unifying language, spoken by millions, and played a central role in bringing people from different cultural and linguistic backgrounds together.
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