Though essentially a ‘day’, this year’s Hindi Divas celebrations overspread the entire month of September at the Indus Valley World School, Kolkata. This was part of ongoing efforts to revive and popularize the use of the Vernacular by India’s future thinkers and builders. The cause was supported with passion and purpose by the school’s Primary section mentors and learners.

Children are being encouraged to develop acquaintance beyond widely known legends as Prem Chand and Harivansh Rai Bachchan. Much of the language themed handiwork has found pride of place on the display boards. Learners of Grades I and II took part in a themed Recitation exercise, while the ones in Grades III and IV found their interest piqued through a Storytelling competition. No less fascinating was the exchange of rhetoric among the young minds of Grade IV at the Speech Competition. The month-long observance found its culmination in Grade V participants’ deliberation over the infiltration of English words into modern-day use of Hindi.

It was on 14th September 1949 that Hindi was adopted as the official language of India by the Constituent Assembly. Hindi Divas celebration owes its origin to this. This year, its commemoration at IVWS is intended to re-infuse young learners with the care and regard fitting for their vernacular.