Organised by Vatayan UK in collaboration with the UK Hindi Samiti, Oxford Business College, Indraprasth College – Delhi University, Antar Rashtriya Sahyog Parishad, Vani Foundation, Kavyadhara and KavyaRang, the three-day Indo-European Hindi Festival (Bharopiya Hindi Mahotsav) with a tagline ‘Hindi: European Scenario: Teaching, Literature, and Translation’ concluded in London recently as a resounding success.
It was inaugurated with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp by former Indian education minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, chief guest Deepak Johri, Minister (Coordination) at the High Commission of India in London, organiser Divya Mathur, among others.
Welcoming the distinguished guests, artist Mira Mishra-Kaushik OBE said the festival has many festivals within it, especially as Vatayan is also celebrating its twentieth anniversary this year. The managing director of Oxford Business College and festival director, Dr Padmesh Gupta, conducted the programme in the presence of eminent guests.
In his keynote address, Anil Sharma Joshi, President of Vaishvik Hindi Parivar, said that Hindi is going through a transitional period and the creativity of expatriate writers is making a strong impact on its expansion. The festival reinforces the fact that in the next two decades, the entire world will be immersed in a vibrant cultural awareness through Hindi and its rich literature.
Nishank’s book, ‘Shiksha Ke Madhyam Se Rashtra Nirman’ and the special issue of ‘Pravasi Sansar’ (dedicated to the Indo-European Hindi Festival) edited by Rakesh Pandey were also launched on this occasion.
Vatayan International Annual Award Ceremony was conducted by writer and presenter Astha Deo, in which the eminent educationist, entrepreneur and writer Santosh Chobey was felicitated with the Vatayan International Lifetime Achievement Award and the Sahitya Akademi award-winning poet and educationist, Professor Anamika, was felicitated with the Vatayan International Literary Award.
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Professor Heins Werner Wesler from Sweden and Dr Rekha Sethi of Delhi University were also felicitated with the Vatayan International Education Awards.
The wide variety of subjects covered at the festival included:
Translation in cultural and professional fields
· Diaspora Writing
· Globalisation and Hindi Language
· Teaching Hindi in Europe
· Literature and Cinema
· Unity of Indian Languages
· Unity of Indian Languages
· Hindi Language and Literature: Outline of the Future
The Festival oncluded end with the valedictory session, conducted by the educationist and founder of Singapore Sangam, Dr Sandhya Singh. Dr Padmesh Gupta presented some major proposals with a comprehensive outline and strategy in coordination of the participants to establish an international mission to promote Hindi.
In the concluding statement, the Global President of Hindi Parivar, Anil Sharma Joshi, said the Festival is a milestone in the journey of Hindi, where eminent writers have also gathered in London for the first time after many decades, courtesy the Prabha Khaitan Foundation, with an objective to make coordinated efforts by identifying the issues of Indian languages in foreign countries.
Dr Sachchidanand Joshi, Secretary of Indira Gandhi Centre for Culture and Arts, offered to arrange accommodation for the Hindi students coming from Britain.
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Among the proposals put forward were:
An International Hindi Centre should be established to prepare an action plan, with a special core group making efforts to take Hindi to the United Nations.
The next International Hindi Conference will be held in Singapore.
Enhancing efforts for online training of Hindi.
An authorised standard curriculum to be implemented at the global level for working knowledge of Hindi.
Creative workshops on major topics of Hindi.
*Info: Vatayan UK