The language Hindi plays a crucial role in education and employment in 21st-century India. It not just promotes cultural identity but enhances communication skills as well as expands opportunities across various sectors while fostering national unity and growth.
Recognising the importance of the same, Apeejay Stya University (ASU), Gurugram celebrated Hindi Day with a series of engaging events. The celebration began with a ceremonial lamp lighting, marking the official start of the festivities. Professor Vijay Vir Singh, Vice-Chancellor of Apeejay Stya University, led the lamp-lighting ceremony. This was also joined by Professor Ananda Padhan, Head of the Faculty of Education, and Dr. Aastha Mehta, Chairperson of the Faculty of Law, among others along with faculty members including KK Singh, Head of CRC, Dr. Vijay Kumar and Dr. Afiya Jamal.
Reflecting on the importance and relevance of Hindi Day, the event featured its first session during which Professor (Dr.) Ananda Padhan, Head of the School of Education, emphasised, “The role of Hindi in preserving cultural and linguistic identity in today’s globalised world is significant.”
Following this, Mr. Kshitij K. Singh, Head of CRC, highlighted the role of Hindi in emerging employment opportunities in India. “Hindi plays a vital role in the changing employment landscape. The language is expanding its influence not only in administrative and educational sectors but also in technical and business fields.”
Subsequently, Professor (Dr.) Kamalanand Jha from the Hindi Department at AMU, Aligarh, delivered the keynote speech. He shared, “Hindi is playing a great role in education and its growing presence in employment.” His presentation highlighted Hindi’s contribution in the era of globalisation. He also shared some pedagogical interventions he brought in his teaching learning process to make learning of Hindi full of fun and enjoyment. He mentioned a few lines from his book “Masti ki Pathshala” and discussed it with students. “I congratulate the University and its leadership for initiating Hindi Diwas celebration and sensitising today’s youth which I feel is even being ignored in public universities too,” he added.
Following this was the presidential address by the Honorable Vice-Chancellor of Apeejay Stya University, Gurugram Professor (Dr.) Vijay Vir Singh. He said, “There are ongoing initiatives for the development of the Hindi language within the university and future plans for further empowerment.” Further, he emphasised the importance of communication skills in the personality of a person and its role in the person’s success.
The day’s events continued with an extempore competition, where students showcased their spontaneous speaking abilities on various topics. The competition, judged by Dr. Aastha Mehta and Dr. Nidhi Purohit, saw Ms. Kajal from the School of Journalism and Mass Communication (SJMC) take first place.
A poster-making competition followed, allowing students to creatively express the significance of Hindi. Judged by Dr. T.K. Sahu and Dr. Sangeeta Taneja, the competition saw Ms. Archee from the BABEd program emerge as the winner.
The event concluded with Professor (Dr.) Ananda Padhan announcing the competition results and congratulating the winners. The Hindi Day celebrations successfully highlighted the importance of the Hindi language while also fostering discussions on its contributions to education and employment. The event was a testament to the university’s commitment to promoting linguistic and cultural heritage among its students.