Hindi, one of India’s official languages alongwith English, is listed among the 22 Scheduled Languages in the Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution. Written in the Devanagari script, Hindi is spoken by approximately 600 million people globally, making it the third most spoken language after Mandarin and English. World Hindi Day, or Vishwa Hindi Diwas, seeks to raise awareness, encourage the use of Hindi, and honor the contributions of its scholars and writers.
World Hindi Day is celebrated to mark the first time Hindi was spoken at the United Nations General Assembly in 1949. It aims to promote Hindi as an international language. In 1950, Hindi was made the official language of India, written in Devanagari script under Article 343 of the Constitution. The first World Hindi Conference was held in Nagpur, Maharashtra, in 1975, inaugurated by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, with participants from 30 countries.
The event aimed to gather Hindi scholars, writers, and experts to acknowledge their contributions to the language’s growth. In 2006, former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh declared January 10 as World Hindi Day. The 12th World Hindi Conference took place in Fiji from February 15 to 17, 2023.
Hindi Diwas Theme and Significance
The theme for World Hindi Day 2025 is “A Global Voice of Unity and Cultural Pride.” Its goal is to encourage the use of Hindi for cultural exchange and communication worldwide.
World Hindi Day is a platform to celebrate and promote the use of Hindi in different areas. As the third most spoken language globally, with 600 million speakers, the day raises awareness and honors contributions from scholars and writers. Various events are held to recognize the efforts of Hindi speakers and promote the language’s use.
Hindi Day is observed twice a year: National Hindi Day on September 14 and World Hindi Day on January 10. National Hindi Day celebrates the adoption of Hindi as India’s official language by the Constituent Assembly in 1949. In contrast, World Hindi Day focuses on promoting Hindi globally, aiming to strengthen its international identity and encourage its use worldwide.
