Hindi Pakhwada commences at NIT Srinagar

• Over 50 teaching and non teaching staff members participated in the essay writing competition

SRINAGAR: The National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar marked the commencement of a 15-day-long Hindi Pakhwada 2024 celebration on Thursday. The event is being organized by the 'Rajbhasha Cell,' featuring a series of activities scheduled until September 29th. The inaugural day featured a workshop for non-teaching staff, presided over by Mr. Devanand Das, Senior Translation Officer at the Ministry of Education, who served as the main resource person.

The workshop drew participation from Departmental Coordinators Rajbhasha Cell and registered Praveen employees of the Institute. Dr. Brajendra Singh Sengar, Dr. PK Yadav were the coordinators of the inaugural event. Hindi Officer Dr. R. P. Shukla (Asst. Prof. CED), AR (Director’s Office | Legal) Mohammad Hazik and AR (Special Secretary to Director) Shahid Hamid and Hindi Anuvadak Dr. Sabzar Gani Batoo, NSS Coordinator, Dr. Jitendra Gurjar, Dr. Pravan Katiyar, Dr. Prabal Verma were also present on the occasion.

In his address, Mr. Das spoke on "Rajbhasha Neeti aur Hindi Ka Vyavaharik Anuprayog" and highlighted government's policies and initiatives aimed at promoting Hindi as the official language.

"India is renowned for its diversity in culture, religion, beliefs, and languages.  It is home to numerous languages spoken by different communities and sects. The beauty of our Constitution lies in the respect and value it affords to every language, not just Hindi. However, it is important to note that the primary focus remains on Hindi," he said.

Mr. Das said Part XVII of the Constitution, particularly Articles 343 to 351, focuses entirely on the official language.  The Constitution’s approach to language is admirable, as it gives respect and recognition to all languages spoken in India, while emphasizing that Hindi remains the primary focus, he said.

"Article 351 specifically addresses the promotion and development of the Hindi language. To support this, the government is actively implementing various initiatives, such as the Hindi Teaching Scheme and organizing workshops and seminars, aimed at promoting and preserving Rajbhasha (the official language)," Mr. Das said.

"In line with these policies, central government employees are being trained through courses like Prabodh, Praveen, Pragya, and Parangat to achieve proficiency in Hindi. Upon completing these training courses, employees are rewarded with cash prizes and incentives," he said.

The MoE's Senior Translation Officer Mr Das also commended the efforts of the Rajbhasha Cell for its active role in promoting Hindi on campus. He expressed his admiration for the work of the institute's Rajbhasha Cell and the keen interest shown by employees in learning Hindi.

Earlier Hindi Officer R.P. Shukla delivered the inaugural address and introduced the guest of honor, Mr. Devanand Das. He briefed attendees about the various activities that are scheduled to take place until September 29. Dr. Shukla said that significant efforts have been made in recent years to promote the use of Rajbhasha (Hindi) on the campus, and that many initiatives have been successfully implemented.

He also expressed his gratitude to Director NIT Srinagar, Prof. A Ravinder Nath and Registrar Prof. Atikur Rehman for supporting such initiatives on the campus. Dr. Sabzar Gani delivered a vote of thanks to the resource person and expressed his gratitude to the Hindi Officer, participants, coordinators, and staff members who contributed to the success of the event.

In the 1st session, the Essay Writing Competition saw participation from over 50 teaching and non-teaching staff members. On Friday, an 'Administrative Vocabulary Competition' will be held, followed by a key lecture on "Basic Knowledge of Rajbhasha" delivered by Hindi Anuvadak NIT Srinagar, Dr. Sabzar Gani. The event will be coordinated by Dr. Mohammad Aslam, Dr. Jitendra Gurjar, and Er. Junaid ul Islam.