Hyderabad: While some oppose Hindi for political reasons, the people of India have accepted it wholeheartedly. Any opposition to Hindi is a barrier to national progress, said Union minister G. Kishan Reddy. He was addressing a gathering at the Dakshin Samvad event at GMC Balayogi Indoor Stadium in Hyderabad on Friday.
Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan, speaking from the same stage, questioned the resistance to Hindi in parts of the country. “If we can learn German or Japanese for jobs, why are we afraid of our own Hindi,” he wondered.
The event marked the Golden Jubilee of the department of official language, formed in 1975. Hosted by the ministry of home affairs, it honoured over 50 winners of competitions held across central ministries.
Calling it a moment of pride for Hyderabad, Kishan Reddy credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah for ushering in a “golden phase” for Hindi and other Indian languages since Independence. “Hindi is the thread that ties all Indian languages together,” he said, recalling how freedom fighters across India raised slogans like ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’ in Hindi. While mother tongues hold cultural and emotional value, he said, Hindi plays a unifying role across the country’s diverse linguistic landscape.
The event was largely conducted in Hindi. However, Pawan Kalyan’s speech blended Hindi and Telugu. “When we want government jobs or social media attention, we use Hindi freely. But in politics, some claim it’s being imposed. That’s dishonest,” he said. Quoting Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, he added, “Language should connect hearts. Let us see Hindi from this perspective.”
Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh also highlighted that support for Hindi has come not just from Hindi-speaking regions. “Many who didn’t speak Hindi at home helped shape its national role. Today, the Prime Minister and home minister are carrying that legacy forward,” he said.
The event was anchored by the department’s secretary, Anshuli Arya, who highlighted Hyderabad’s historic role in India’s multilingual ethos. She described the city as a mirror of India’s linguistic diversity and paid tribute to Ramdhari Singh Dinkar, the department’s first language advisor.
Also present were Prof. Manikyamba (Telugu), Prof. Anant Krishnan (Tamil), Dr T.R. Bhatt (Kannada), joint secretary Dr Meenakshi Jolly and representatives from institutions such as BEL, ONGC, MRPL, BDL, Central University of Tamil Nadu, Indian Bank and the Central Hindi Institute, whose publications were released during the ceremony.
