Lok Sabha Question No. 559 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2017-07-19
Subject: Promotion of Hindi
Ministry: EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
Asked by: CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.559 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.07.2017

## PROMOTION OF HINDI

559.  SHRI CHANDRA PRAKASH JOSHI:

Will the Minister of EXTERNAL AFFAIRS be pleased to state:

- (a) the details of initiatives taken by the Government to promote Hindi language in foreign countries; and
- (b) the details of future plans of the Ministry to promote Hindi in foreign universities?

## ANSWER

## THE MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS [GEN. (DR) V. K. SINGH (RETD)]

- (a) Promotion  of  Hindi  in  foreign  countries  is  a  matter  of  high priority for the Government. To coordinate work related to promotion of Hindi in foreign countries, a separate Division was set up in the Ministry two years ago. Several initiatives have been taken since  then,  by  the  Ministry  of  External  Affairs,  to  promote  Hindi abroad.

The 10th World Hindi Conference was orgnised by Ministry of External  Affairs  on  10-12  September  2015  in  Bhopal  which  was attended by a large number of participants from India and abroad. All issues related to promotion of Hindi language were discussed at the  conference.  A  Recommendations  Implementation  Committee has  been  set  up  under  the  Chairpersonship  of  Hon'ble  EAM  to monitor  implementation  of  recommendations  passed  at  the  10th World  Hindi  Conference.  The  Committee  meets  regularly  at  an of  three  months  to  ensure  time  bound  and  effective Hindi conferences are also orgnised by the Ministry of External Affairs in various  foreign  countries  to  promote  Hindi  including  those  held  in interval implementation of the recommendations. Regional the last one year in Paris and Moscow.

A Joint Declaration of Intent has been signed with Germany to teach Indian languages under which Hindi will be taught in schools in Germany.  Ministry of External Affairs also provides books, teaching material and other assistance to orgnisations involved in promotion of Hindi in foreign countries. In addition, World Hindi Day is  celebrated  every  year  on  10 th   January  by  Ministry  of  External Affairs and Missions/Posts abroad to promote Hindi. On this occasion, Hindi competitions are orgnised for foreign students and prizes are given to the winners.

Other  initiatives  taken  to  promote  Hindi  language  in  foreign countries are:

## i

## Chairs

-  Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) has established 26 Hindi Chairs in various foreign universities/institutions abroad.
-  The  Council  has  deputed  6  Hindi  teachers  in  Indian  Cultural Centres  (ICCs)  abroad, and  the  process  to  depute  Hindi teachers to other centres is also on.

## ii Scholarship & Fellowship

-  Under the ICCR's scholarship programme  ICCR provides scholarships to the foreign students for studying Hindi language and literature.
-  Financial  assistance  of  Rs.26.00  lakhs  was  provided  to  the University of South Pacific, Fiji, in 2016 for teaching Hindi.

## iii. Publications

-  ICCR's  bi-monthly  Hindi  magazine  -  Gagnanchal  is  being distributed  in  various  Indian  Missions  and  Council's  ICCs abroad on regular basis.
-  ICCR  has  initiated  publication  of  Dictionaries  from  Hindi  to foreign  language  and  foreign  language  to  Hindi.    In  this direction, the financial assistance of Euro 6000 (Rs.4,40,640/-) has been provided to Portugal for the publication of vocabulary  from  Portuguese  to  Hindi  and  works  on  other languages are being done by ICCR.

## iv. CONFERENCE / KAVI SAMMELAN

-  ICCR  sponsored  5-Hindi  poets  in  various  cities  of  United Kingdom for organizing the 'Virat Hindi Kavi Sammelan' from 31 August to 10 December 2016 and 4-Hindi poets to Nairobi and Naruka for the Kavi Sammelan from 4-5 December 2016.
-  ICCR  supported  participation of 2-Hindi Scholars  for the participation in the International Conference on Hindi studies in Paris from 14-16 September 2016.
- v. In  order  to  generate  interest  and  ability  of  foreigners  in speaking  Hindi,  ICCR  has  taken  an  initiative  to  establish  'Baat Cheet'clubs in Missions and Posts. In this direction, 'Hindi Conversation Club' has been established in Ashgabat (Turkmenistan), Tunisia, Ankara (Turkey), The Hague (Netherlands), Moscow  (Russia), Dar-es-Salaam (Tanzania), Thimphu  (Bhutan), Paramaribo  (Surinam),  Guyana  (Georgetown),  and  the  same  is  in process in Suva (Fiji), Port Louis (Mauritius) and Washington.
- (b) Activities to be undertaken are as follows:-
- I. ICCR  is  continuously  working  on  establishing  more  Hindi chairs in the universities abroad. Presently, it is in negotiation with about 10 more Universities to sign MoUs for establishing Chairs.
- II. Presently,  ICCR  is  preparing  a  model  course  work  for  Hindi teaching for the foreign students.
- III. Conference on 'Challenges and Opportunities of Hindi Teaching' is proposed to be organized in Delhi where scholars from other countries will also participate.
- IV. The Council is sponsoring 6-Indian poets for the participation in  'Virat  Hindi  Kavi  Sammelan'  which would  be  organized  in various cities of United Kingdom  from  22  August to 3 September 2017.

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