Sona Devi University organized a “Hindi Pakhwada” to promote and celebrate the Hindi language. The event took place in the university’s Vivekananda Auditorium. Dr. Shaligram Mishra, Head of the Hindi Department at Patmada Degree College, was present as the chief guest. He emphasized that Hindi will earn respect only when people begin using it in their daily work. “A king is respected in his own kingdom, but a scholar is respected everywhere. The same holds true for the Hindi language,” he remarked.
Chancellor Mr. Prabhakar Singh said that no country can progress without respecting its official and national language. He pointed out that nations like China, Japan, Korea, and Germany have advanced using their native languages. “Why do we even need to organize such events?” he asked, reflecting on the lingering impact of British colonial policies, especially those introduced under Macaulay’s system, which aimed to weaken Indian languages. While English has become a necessity today, Mr. Singh stressed the importance of staying connected to our roots and maintaining self-respect. He affirmed that both Hindi and English are essential in today’s world.
Vice-Chancellor Dr. J.P. Mishra encouraged everyone to increase the use of their native language in daily work. He stated, “Developed countries also function primarily in their own languages.” He added, “A country without literature is lifeless; where there is no light (knowledge), there is darkness.”
Registrar Dr. Gulab Singh Azad highlighted the global presence of Hindi. He said Hindi is spoken in 89 countries and taught in 89 universities worldwide. He noted that Hindi is among the most spoken languages in the world. However, due to prolonged colonial rule, a sense of inferiority regarding the language has developed among people.
On this occasion, Dr. Shanti Ekka, Head of the Hindi Department, and Kumari Nikita, Head of the Sanskrit Department, along with other faculty members, enthusiastically participated in various programs organized under the Hindi Fortnight. Several competitions were held for students, including poetry recitation, doha (couplet) recitation, singing, debates, essay writing, and poster-making. Winners of these competitions were honored by Chancellor Mr. Prabhakar Singh.
