Official language deputy director Ambarish Kant Maharaj addresses a seminar on Hindi Divas at Vikas Bhavan auditorium. Picture by Manik Bose

Ranchi, Sept. 14: Hindi may have been given a step-motherly treatment compared to the English language at present, but there are still guardians at the helm of affairs making every effort to preserve its sanctity.

Government departments have been doing this by commemorating days, weeks and months dedicated to the Hindi language.

Keeping in consonance with the practice, the Ranchi Doordarshan Kendra marked Hindi Divas today. Inaugurating the function at the Doordarshan Kendra in Ratu Road, chief guest Jung Bahadur Pandey, the head of the Hindi department at Ranchi University, said: “It is a sad fact that even after so many years since independence, we have not been able to give Hindi the status it deserves in its own country. Developed nations all over the world made progress only because they preserved the ethnicity of their language. This was not the case in India where politicians have been strategically diverting our younger generations to foreign languages. The language, to regain its primordial glory, must be used and propagated by every Indian.”

At the function attended by students, teachers, writers and lovers of Hindi from all over the city, there were several announcements made to help preserve the age-old language. “The Ranchi Doordarshan Kendra has decided to commemorate the entire month beginning from September 14 to October 14 as Hindi month. During this period, the centre will organise various competitions and contests in Hindi for its staff members. There will be Hindi debate, antakshari, essay writing, poetry recitation and typing competitions where winners will be awarded. The basic objective behind these is to promote the use of the language and to encourage those using the Hindi medium. Often Hindi speakers are disdained by those who speak in English,” said Shailesh Pandit, the station director.

“In this era of globalisation where languages and culture from the West have invaded our everyday working, it has become a challenge for us to not only preserve and protect our mother tongue but to keep the identity and utility of Hindi intact among the world languages. Is it not a matter to be pondered at, as to why Hindi has not been able to become our state language, leave aside making it the nations first official language?” said Pandit, addressing a group of Hindi lovers.