Celebration of Hindi Diwas 2025

Thursday 9 October 2025 – 1315-1415 hours – CR7, UNHQ

Delivered by Shri PP Chaudhary, MP

Distinguished Ambassador of India, Harish Ji,

My colleagues from the Parliament of India

Delegates, Friends, Ladies and Gentlemen

First of all, I extend my heartfelt greetings to all of you on the occasion of Hindi Diwas, organized by the Permanent Mission of India at the United Nations in New York. Today, I am extremely proud to speak a few words on the importance of Hindi – the very soul of India.

Hindi is not just a language; it symbolizes India's spirit, identity, and unity. It is the thread that connects the entire country, from north to south and east to west. It holds a very high position as the world's most widely spoken language – spoken by nearly six hundred million people.

It is heartening to note that the use of Hindi is steadily increasing worldwide. Hindi is being taught and used in daily life in many countries such as Mauritius, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Suriname, Fiji, and Guyana. The World Hindi Secretariat in Mauritius is playing a vital role in promoting the Hindi language. The United States also has a large Hindi-speaking population, and world-renowned universities like Yale host debate competitions in Hindi. Hindi courses are also available at prestigious global colleges like Harvard, Columbia, Cornell, Chicago, and Texas. Oxford and Cambridge universities in England are also popular in Stockholm. This language connection is another means of bringing us closer to each other.

Hindi played a crucial role in India's freedom struggle. When Indian people from different regions and oceans met, Hindi brought them together on a common platform. Slogans like "Vande Mataram" and "Jai Hind" reached the masses through Hindi, and our applause still resonates today. After independence, Hindi also played a significant role in strengthening India's political and social unity. Our Constitution designated Hindi in the Devanagari script as the official language of India—a symbol that language is not merely a medium of communication, but a symbol of unity and respect. Currently, the Prime Minister's speeches in Hindi on global platforms have strengthened Hindi's global standing.

Hindi has made a profound impact not only in politics but also in the fields of culture and art. Bollywood, the world's largest film industry, is primarily spoken in Hindi. Through Hindi films and movies, the language has reached Russia, Egypt, Africa, and Latin America. People dance to Hindi tunes without even knowing the meaning—this is the magical power of Hindi.

Even in today's digital age, Hindi continues to hold its global sway. Through social media, yoga, and international education, Hindi is now the language of global communication.

You may recall that on June 10, 2025, a proposal on multilingualism was presented to you at the United Nations General Assembly by the India-co-project. This proposal mentioned the Hindi language. Under this, the United Nations first stated that it had broadcast its important bulletins even in unofficial languages like Hindi. In September 2024, the Hindi language was again mentioned in the United Nations General Assembly resolution on multilingualism. This resolution officially allows the United Nations Department of Global Communications to continue publishing information in Hindi. This is part of India's ongoing effort to promote Hindi on the global stage.

In conclusion, I want to say this: a language is not just a collection of words; it is the feeling of the heart. Hindi is the soul of India, and this soul is now spreading its sweet sound across the world, beyond borders.

So let us all learn Hindi together and take it forward. Once again, many happy wishes to all of you on Hindi Diwas.

Thank you.