New Delhi : President Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday said Hindi has become an influential language globally and hoped that Hindi and other Indian languages would be widely used in different spheres of life in the country.
Addressing a function on the occasion of Hindi Divas, the President said the significance of Hindi in all walks of life has been increased manifold over the years and the language is now taught in many reputed university in different countries. “Hindi has become an influential language globally,” he said.
Mukherjee hoped that Hindi and regional languages of the country would be used in different spheres of life like science, technology, etc. “I appeal everyone to communicate and propagate Hindi more in their everyday life,” he said.
The President said Hindi is the soul of Indianess and plays an important role as a link language. “We have to encourage translations of Hindi literature into other Indian regional languages and vice-versa. This will deepen relations between Hindi and regional languages,” he said.
The President called upon people to learn historical, cultural and literary aspects of different cultures. He said when people of India will come to understand that “our past and present is one, our literature and culture is one, national unity will be strengthened”.
Addressing the function, Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh said some vested interests were trying to create a rift in the country in the name of language. “Some people are trying to create a rift in different parts of the country in the name of language. We have to be alert,” he said.
Singh said it was non-Hindi speaking leaders like Mahatma Gandhi, Bal Gangdhar Tilak, Shyama Prasad Mookerjee etc., who wanted Hindi to be declared as a national language.
The Home Minister said Tamil is considered to be the oldest language in India after Sanskrit and it is Hindi which is spoken by the largest number of people in the country. He also said Hindi is one of the five top most spoken languages of the world. Singh said Hindi is the common language in rural areas across the country.
In his speech, Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju said Hindi is the emotional cord of the country and days are not far when the language would be spoken in every nook and corner of the country.
In the function, around 50 individuals and organisations were honoured for promotion and propagation of Hindi.
PTI