India's growth linked to growth of Hindi, says Jitendra Singh

Minister of State (Independent Charge) in the Prime Minister's Office, Dr. Jitendra Singh, has made an emphatic assertion that India's growth is linked to the growth of the national language of Hindi.

Delivering a keynote address at a function to commemorate Hindi Fortnight and the 12th Hindi Day Felicitation Awards here yesterday, Singh said it would be a gross error fraught with long term implications if an impression is allowed to perpetuate that Hindi is confined only to a particular section of society or religion or region as a medium of communication.

Hindi, he said, is a part of the legacy of every such individual who has inherited the legacy of Hindustan irrespective of religion, caste, sect or region.

Citing illustrious examples, he said, some of the best literature and poetry in Hindi, for instance, was written by Muslim poets and writers even though their mother tongue may not have been Hindi.

He described as a strange paradox the fact that living in India and being Indians, "we need to observe a "Hindi fortnight" or a "Hindi Divas" to remind ourselves about Hindi and its richness."

He said the real question that Indians should ask themselves is whether they have failed to cultivate esteem for the heritage of the Hindi language and the pride of speaking Hindi.

He also cryptically noted that he has come across several parents who are themselves scholars in the Hindi language but prefer to send their children to English schools and take pride in their children communicating in English rather than in Hindi.

Singh suggested that the promotion of Hindi cannot happen merely through symbolic programmes, but may, in essence, require a re-look into our education pattern.

Concluding on an optimistic note, he said the day is not far when India will become an international power and then, Hindi will not only be a national language but will be an international language.