Hindi speakers should also learn other languages: President

If Hindi speakers learn other Indian languages, it will help generate interest for Hindi language among non-Hindi speakers, President Ram Nath Kovind said on Thursday.

Kovind's observation came as he gave away the Rajbhasha Awards on the occasion of Hindi Diwas at a function here. He also launched the "Lila" mobile app in the presence of Home Minister Rajnath Singh and Ministers of State Hansraj Gagaram Ahir and Kiran Rijiju.

"Hindi speakers will have to take the initiative to make non-Hindi speakers adopt Hindi with enthusiasm. If they (Hindi speakers) will learn their languages, then non-Hindi speakers too will be interested in learning Hindi," Kovind said.

The President observed: "The moment a Hindi speaker greets a non-Hindi speaker with 'Vanakkam', 'Sat Sri Akal' or 'Adaab', he establishes a connect at the linguistic and emotional levels."

He said Hindi has the capacity to adopt from other Indian and foreign languages and dialect and this aspect should be taken full advantage of to popularise Hindi language.

"New and technical words can be adopted in Hindi without translation. For example, words like 'railway station', 'register' were absorbed into Hindi years ago. Similarly, more new terms should be adopted in Hindi as their literal translation in Hindi would make the language less attractive," Kovind said.

He said as per estimates, by 2021, Indians would be using the Internet in Hindi more than in English. "So digital literacy will further expand Hindi's reach."

Kovind said according to experts, Hindi was also an ideal language for computer programming as Devanagri script was very scientific.

"People are increasingly learning Hindi abroad. It is being taught in around 175 universities across the world. Languages always unite. My greetings on Hindi Diwas," the President said.

--IANS

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