The World Hindi Conference (WHC) is a significant event that gathers prominent scholars, academics, writers, students, publishers, and linguists from all over the globe to focus on the Hindi language. It was conceptualized by Rashtrabhasha Prachar Samiti, Vardha (Maharashtra, India), and is celebrated on 10th January every year as the World Hindi Day by the National Council of Indian Culture. To date, twelve conferences have been organized in various locations around the world.
In January 1975, the first World Hindi Conference took place in Nagpur, Maharashtra, India. The event was opened by the Prime Minister of India, Smt. Indira Gandhi. The conference aimed to showcase the important role Hindi plays on a global scale, highlighting its growing achievements and potential. Additionally, the conference provided a platform for promoting a cultural renaissance based on the idea of “our world is one family”.
Delegates from Hindi centers abroad, as well as political and literary figures from countries with large Indian populations, attended the event. To honor the occasion, the Department of Posts in India issued a commemorative stamp in 1975 with a denomination of 25p.
List of the World Hindi Conference organized so far –
No. | Conference | Location | Date and Year |
1 | First World Hindi Conference | Nagpur, India | 10th – 12th January 1975 |
2 | Second World Hindi Conference | Port Louis, Mauritius | 28th – 20th August 1976 |
3 | Third World Hindi Conference | New Delhi, India | 28th – 30th October 1983 |
4 | Fourth World Hindi Conference | Port Louis, Mauritius | 02nd – 4th December 1993 |
5 | Fifth World Hindi Conference | Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago | 04th – 8th April 1996 |
6 | Sixth World Hindi Conference | London, United Kingdom | 14th – 18th September 1999 |
7 | Seventh World Hindi Conference | Paramaribo, Suriname | 06th – 09th June 2003 |
8 | Eighth World Hindi Conference | New York, United States of America | 13th – 15th July 2007 |
9 | Ninth World Hindi Conference | Johannesburg, South Africa | 22-th -24th September 2012 |
10 | Tenth World Hindi Conference | Bhopal, India | 10th – 12th September 2015 |
11 | Eleventh World Hindi Conference | Pailles, Mauritius | 18th – 20th August 2018 |
12 | Twelfth World Hindi Conference | Nadi, Fiji | 15th – 17th February 2023 |
The Ministry of External Affairs, in cooperation with the State Government of Madhya Pradesh, organized the 10th World Hindi Conference in Bhopal, India. This was the third time the Hindi Sammelan was held in India in 32 years, and it included renowned scholars as participants. The conference was inaugurated by India’s Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, and to commemorate the occasion, India Post issued a Rs. 5 denomination Commemorative stamp.
The Ministry of External Affairs, Govt. of India and the Govt. of Mauritius jointly organized the 11th World Hindi Conference in Mauritius. The conference featured numerous exhibitions highlighting the advancements made in the Hindi language. In addition, the Indian Council of Cultural Relations, New Delhi, organized evening cultural programs and a Kavi Sammelan. At the conference, it was recommended that the next edition should be held in Fiji, a significant Diaspora country where Hindi is one of the three official languages.
The 12th World Hindi Conference will take place from February 15th to 17th, 2023 on Denarau Island in Nadi, Fiji at the Denarau Island Convention Centre (DICC). The conference’s main theme is
“Hindi: From Traditional Knowledge to Artificial Intelligence”.
The event will bring together approximately 1,000 participants, including respected government officials, Hindi scholars, academics, writers, poets, critics, publishers, and other Hindi enthusiasts from around the world. There will be numerous exhibitions on various aspects of the Hindi language, as well as a variety of cultural programs that blend the colors and flavors of India and Fiji. To commemorate the historic occasion and promote the Hindi language, the Government of India will gift a Hindi Language Laboratory to the people of Fiji.
In celebration of the event, the Fiji Post department released a special stamp in the form of a miniature sheet with a denomination of $15.
The 12th World Hindi Conference’s logo is a beautiful blend of elements from both India and Fiji, the host countries. The national flower of India, the lotus, which symbolizes purity in ancient Indian culture, is at the center of the logo. The logo also features blue waves and coconut trees, representing Fiji’s stunning islands. In addition, the logo incorporates the colors of the Indian and Fijian flags.
To purchase, kindly find the links of the products below –
- 1975 India World Hindi Conference 1v Stamp- 1975 World Hindi Convention, Nagpur (Saraswati-Goddess of Language and Learning) 1v Stamp
- 1975 India World Hindi Conference Stamp Sheet – 1975 World Hindi Convention, Nagpur Mint Sheet of 45 Stamps
- 2015 India 10th World Hindi Conference 1v Stamp – 2015 10th World Hindi Conference 1v Stamp
- 2018 Mauritius World Hindi Conference 2v Stamp – 2018 Mauritius India Diplomatic Relation 2v Stamp
- 2018 Mauritius World Hindi Conference FDC – 2018 Mauritius India Diplomatic Relation 2v Stamp on FDC
- 2023 Fiji World Hindi Conference Miniature Sheet – 2023 Fiji 12th World Hindi Conference Miniature Sheet
- 2023 Fiji World Hindi Conference FDC – 2023 Fiji 12th World Hindi Conference Miniature Sheet on FDC
