Why Hindi?

Some of the leading Foreign Diplomats observed that their source of information regarding Indian Polity and Economic, Social and other developments in India rests mainly on Indian English Media. Through the Indian English Media is run by competent English knowing intellectuals, but in its attempt to cope with the world trend the Indian English Media looks to be more international than national. Indian English Media presents one side of the coin. It is the regional or Hindi Media, which presents things with Indian view point. The analysis and discussions in Hindi papers on Political, economical, social and other issues are indigenous. The picture of India depicted by English Media is incomplete and needs to be supplemented by regional papers particularly Hindi papers.

It may be noted that Hindi is widely spoken and used in the Indian Sub-Continent including India, Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and Singapore. Hindi is functioning as a State language in U.P, Bihar, Rajasthan, M.P, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. 60% of the Indian population uses Hindi. Maximum people read Hindi papers. Importance of Hindi can be observed by the two-language policy of the political leaders. They work in English, but they contact and address the people in Hindi, even in Non-Hindi States, like Bellari in Karnataka, where Mrs. Sonia Gandhi and Shri. Vajpayee both addressed the election meetings in Hindi. Hindi is the lingua franca of India. To know India Hindi is a must.

“Hindi is the mother tongue of every third Indian, and is understood by almost all Indians. Knowledge of spoken Hindi can also help you get by in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and even Afghanistan!”

S. Venkat Narayan, President, Foreign Correspondent’s Club, New Delhi