'Hindi Diwas' Is Historically Meant To Respect All Languages: Former Head Of Hindi Dept At Lucknow University
Prof Surya Prasad Dixit said that the constituent assembly first established the 'Rajbhasha Diwas' on September 14, 1949 aimed at honouring regional languages.
Published : September 14, 2025 at 12:53 PM IST
Lucknow: As India celebrates 'Hindi Diwas' on September 14 to honour the language and its cultural heritage, Prof. Surya Prasad Dixit remembers it more as 'Rajbhasha Diwas'(Mother Tongue Day) to respect all languages, and thereby, diversity.
In an exclusive conversation with ETV Bharat, former head of the Hindi Department at Lucknow University, said that the Constituent Assembly had originally established 'Rajbhasha Diwas'. “It meant that this day should be celebrated to promote all the languages spoken in the country”.
Citing examples, Prof Dixit said that Hindi is spoken in North India, so it was considered the official language in the particular region. Likewise, Bengali was considered the official language in Bengal and Marathi in Maharashtra.
“So this day started being celebrated as the official language in the respective region. Now people celebrate it more as Hindi Diwas”.
Prof Dixit said that after the Rajbhasha Diwas was established on 14 September 1949, the government set a target of 15 years to adopt Hindi as the official language of the union.
He said that later the Central Hindi Directorate, Translation Bureau, Hindi Institute, Scientific Terminology Commission and various commissions for translation were formed.
“It takes time for a language to prepare its own vocabulary. As a result of this, today the Hindi dictionary has become almost equal to the English dictionary. Hindi language has developed more than 8.5 lakh scientific vocabulary and the letters have come down from 54 to around 40”.
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