Srinagar: To encourage youth to use Hindi as a language of the masses, the Department of Hindi, University of Kashmir Thursday celebrated ‘Hindi Diwas’ (Hindi Day) here at the main campus.
The day is celebrated every year on 14th September throughout the world. On this day, Hindi-lovers assemble and celebrate the day by engaging in different poetry, essay and letter-writing contests.
The department in collaboration with Central Hindi Directorate, Ministry of Education, New Delhi also inaugurated a week-long workshop for new writers to promote and popularise creative writing among the youth of Jammu and Kashmir.
40 registered local neo-writers are participating in the workshop titled ‘Neo-Writers Workshop’, who will be provided training and guidance on different genres of Hindi language and literature through interactions with national and regional experts.
Stressing on promoting and popularising Hindi as a language of the masses, Vice Chancellor, University of Kashmir, Prof Nilofar Khan said it is our collective responsibility to promote regional languages and that how we could implement the guidelines in academic institutions.
She said, “The university’s Department of Hindi is one of the oldest and premier institutes committed to academic and research activities promoting Hindi language at various levels.”
Prof Nilofer Khan stressed on connecting various departments to work in tandem for the promotion and preservation of the regional languages with special focus on Hindi.
“The department should also try to identify the gap-areas and organise more such student-centric and faculty-development programmes for further promoting Hindi as a language,” she added.
Prof Khan noted that the New Education Policy-2020 also focuses on the development of regional languages and that the varsity is the first institution to have implemented the NEP-2020 guidelines.
She also offered all possible help to the department in promoting Hindi language at the grassroots level and hoped the programme will act as the pedestal of connectivity for future activities.
Assistant Director, Central Hindi Directorate, New Dehli, Nathu Lal underscored the need for organising the workshop for the young writers while appreciating the Department of Hindi, University of Kashmir for partnering in the endeavour. He said that the directorate will help in every possible way to conduct such programmes in future as well.
Head, Department of Hindi, University of Kashmir, Prof Zahida Jabeen highlighted the aim of celebrating ‘Hindi Diwas’ and also delineated the objectives of organising the workshop.
She also expressed her gratitude to the Director, Central Hindi Directorate, New Delhi, Sunil Babu Roa Kulkarni for collaborating with the department for the project.
Dean, School of Arts, Languages and Literatures, Prof Aadil Amin KaK; Assistant Director, Central Hindi Directorate, Nathu Lal; noted writers Raj Kumar Malik and Umakant Khubalkar; Head, Department of Hindi, Jammu University, Prof Rajni Bala; and Former Dean, School of Arts, Languages and Literatures and Former Head (Hindi), Prof Zohra Afzal and renowned poet and Programme Executive, All India Radio, Srinagar, Dr Satish Vimal were present on the occasion.
Assistant Professor, Department of Hindi, University of Kashmir, Dr Mudasir Ahmad Bhat conducted the proceedings while Dr Naairah.