Hindi Diwas

• 15 Sep 2025

Why in News?

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath extended greetings on Hindi Diwas, emphasizing Hindi as a symbol of unity, culture, and identity.

Key Points 

• About: 
  • Hindi Diwas commemorates the Constituent Assembly’s 1949 decision designating Hindi in the Devanagari script as the official language of the Union of India.
  • This decision was shaped by the Munshi-Ayyangar formula, which led to Article 343 adopting Hindi while allowing English to continue for official purposes for 15 years.
  • After the 15-year period ended, protests against Hindi imposition resulted in the Official Languages Act, 1963, which ensured English continued as an official language alongside Hindi.
• Constitutional Status: 
  • Hindi is listed in the 8th Schedule, which includes 22 languages recognized for official use.
    • The language is named after the Persian word 'Hind', meaning 'land of the Indus River', and is a descendant of Sanskrit.
  • Article 210 states that the language to be used in the legislature can be the official language of the state, Hindi, or English.
  • Article 351 states that it shall be the duty of the Union to promote the spread of the Hindi language, to develop it so that it may serve as a medium of expression for all the elements of the composite culture of India.
• Significance: Hindi, with over 600 million speakers, is the third most spoken language globally, and the most spoken language in India.

Note: Vishwa Hindi Divas or World Hindi Day is celebrated annually on 10th January to expand Hindi's presence on the international stage. This date commemorates the historic moment in 1949, when Hindi was first spoken at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA).