Language grows faster when linked with employment, business stakes: Dr Jitendra

The Minister stated that whenever a language becomes associated with opportunity and livelihood, its acceptance and expansion happen naturally.

Dr. Jitendra Singh was chairing the second meeting of the Hindi Advisory Committee organised by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), Ministry of Science & Technology, at Arvat Hall, New Delhi. The meeting witnessed extensive deliberations on expanding the use of Hindi in scientific research, administrative functioning, digital platforms and public communication.

The meeting was attended by Member of Parliament from Prayagraj (Allahabad) and member of the Hindi Advisory Committee, Ujjwal Raman Singh, committee members Vipin Khajuria and Dr. Renu Saini, along with senior officials of the Ministry and the Department. Prominent among those present were DSIR Financial Advisor Dr. Chetan Prakash Jain, Joint Secretary and Member Secretary Surendrapal Singh, Joint Secretary Mahendra Kumar Gupta and Scientist ‘G’ Vivin Chandra Shukla.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that in a multilingual country like India, the Official Language is not merely an administrative subject, but also an important medium of national integration and communication. He said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the use of Hindi in official work has gained fresh momentum during the last decade, and a positive environment towards Hindi has emerged even in non-Hindi speaking regions of the country.

He observed that a large number of young people in South India are voluntarily learning Hindi as multinational companies increasingly prefer candidates who are proficient in Hindi in addition to English. “A language grows faster when it becomes linked with employment and business stakes,” he said.

Dr. Jitendra Singh further noted that the culture of reading has not disappeared in the digital age; rather, the medium has changed. The younger generation now consumes content through mobile phones and digital platforms. In this context, he stressed the need to make scientific literature, research material, government initiatives and ministry achievements available digitally in Hindi and other Indian languages.

He said sustained efforts are being made to communicate science and technology-related content to the common people in simple and practical Hindi. Referring to the increasing use of Indian languages in medical and engineering education, he said that imparting knowledge in the mother tongue makes learning more accessible and effective. At the same time, he added, certain technical terms may continue in their international form so that students remain globally competitive.

Dr. Singh emphasized that the objective of promoting Hindi should not be to create any linguistic pressure, but to encourage voluntary participation and practical usage. He remarked that many employees from South India are now using highly refined and effective Hindi, which reflects the changing linguistic landscape of the country.

Several important suggestions were put forward during the meeting for further strengthening the use of Hindi in scientific and administrative work. MP Ujjwal Raman Singh emphasized the need to further strengthen parliamentary suggestions related to Official Language implementation and wider employee participation.

Committee member Vipin Khajuria suggested making Hindi translations of scientific journals and research papers widely available, promoting scientific achievements through Hindi social media posts and infographics, and organising regular computer-based Hindi training workshops for officers and employees. He also stressed the wider use of Hindi terminology developed by the Commission for Scientific and Technical Terminology.

Committee member Dr. Renu Saini suggested organising regular workshops to establish coordination between scientists and Hindi writers so that complex scientific research can be communicated to the common public in simple Hindi. She also emphasized introducing incentive schemes for employees doing outstanding work in Hindi, displaying inspirational thoughts of scientists in Hindi in offices, and encouraging the reading of Hindi books. She remarked that “research naturally breathes in the mother tongue.”

The meeting also reviewed the Ministry’s progress in Hindi implementation, promotion of scientific writing in Hindi, expansion of digital Hindi content and various Official Language initiatives being undertaken by the Department.

In his concluding remarks, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that meetings of the Hindi Advisory Committee should not remain confined to formal proceedings alone. He urged members to continue sharing suggestions with the Ministry through digital platforms, WhatsApp and other communication channels so that they can be implemented promptly at the policy and administrative levels.