Chicago IL: Hindi Lovers Club celebrated, in grand style, Hindi Diwas, the birth anniversary of Hindi being declared the national language of India, under the patronage of Consul General of India, on September 13, 2015 at Ashyana Banques in Downers Grove , Illinois . The program commenced with traditional lighting of lamp by OP Meena, Consul in the Consulate General of India and the Board Members of the Club. Vande Mataram was sung by Preetish Chakraborty, Indian National Anthem by Balodyan kids, and American National Anthem by Kiran. In attendance were over 350 guests.
OP Meena, who was the Chief Guest at the event, said that the demand for making Hindi as one of the official languages of the United Nations Organization is gaining momentum, at a fast pace, considering the staggering 457 millions Hindi speakers across the globe, including 337 millions in India.
Meena said that Hindi has been the most popular language among Indian immigrants in different parts of the world while at the same time it has emerged as the acceptable link language in India with 70 to 80 percent of the Indian population speaking or understanding it. He underlined the importance of Hindi in preserving the culture, identity, and unity among Indians, irrespective of the region to which they belong.
Meena laid emphasis on the need for popularizing Hindi among the new generation of Indian-Americans. He also pitched for a unified approach to advance the cause of Hindi in India and abroad.
The other highlight was a proclamation by Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner. Congratulating the organizers, the Proclamation underlined the importance of the efforts of the Consulate General of India and Hindi Lovers Club in popularizing Hindi in the USA.
Vinita Gulbani, President of the Hindi Lovers Club, said that serious efforts are being made to ensure that Hindi language is available in the class rooms of schools in Illinois.
Gurbachan Kaur Neelam, Club’s Founding President, who also spoke on the occasion, commended the efforts of the Indian-Americans in preserving Hindi language and Indian culture in the USA. Rich tributes were paid to APJ Abdul Kalam, Naren Patel and Prashant Bhargav.
There were quite a few highlights of the program, the foremost being Elocution Competition in Hindi for the second generation children on an interesting and relevant theme – “Hum Hindi Kyon Seekhen” (Why We Should Learn Hindi). The young participants were of the firm view that Hindi has assumed great importance in the worlds of work and education, both in India and across the globe, and, therefore, learning this language has become a functional necessity.
The cultural programs, which were presented by associations representing different regions and communities of India, were eye-catching. Some of the important programs which touched the hearts of the audience included: Ganesh Vandana and Sajda Dance Performance by Sheetal Dhanani , Hindi Bolo Song by Balodyan Kids, Unity in Diversity Dance Performance by Shanu and Group, “Mile Sur Mera Tumhara” by Shan and Group, Dance Performances by Suhanee Patel, Neepa Shah, Shalini Dixit and Prachi Jetly , Rajasthani Dance by Madhu Choudhary, Punjabi Dance by Shalini Dixit Group, Bollywood melodies by renowned Chicago Singer, Nipa Shah and Preetish Chakraborty, Saregama Lil’s Champ North America 2015 2nd Runner up, etc. A vote of thanks was proposed by Kamal Gupta. A sumptuous dinner was served and all those who were present enjoyed it thoroughly. Mrs Nipa Shah took over the stage to entertain the audience and they danced on a few Bollywood numbers.
Photographs and Press release by: Asian Media USA
