Where Hindi strengthens unity in diversit

Aizawl, June 14: If Hindi has anything to do with Indian nationalism, the growing Indianess among new generation Mizos can be witnessed from their eagerness to learn Hindi.

Twenty years ago, an average Mizo hardly spoke Hindi. Its importance was not realised then. A few people, who spoke the language then were those who served in the Indian Army.

But things have changed. ''Young Mizos are eager to learn Hindi, at least spoken Hindi,'' said HK Liansawta, an ex-serviceman, who has more than 100 students at his Hindi learning school.

He said there were a good number of Hindi classes in Aizawl having students as many as his.

''We could not regard ourselves as Indians, thanks to the Mizo National Front's 'independence' movement against India. So we didn't feel the need to learn Hindi,'' added 45-year-old Zabiaka, who now regrets not learning spoken Hindi.

Bollywood movies and popular Hindi television soaps such as 'Kasauti Zindagi Ki', to name one, had also contributed to the thirst for Hindi, apart from the feeling of being Indian.

''I love Hindi movies and serials, but I could not speak. That is why I attended spoken Hindi class a few months ago. Now, I begin to understand what is being said in my favourite Hindi movies,'' said 34-year-old housewife Laltani.

''The better we speak Hindi the stronger will be our unity as Indians, and this will also play an important role in the national security,'' said Mizoram's Higher and Technical Minister Dr Lalzama, at the closing function of a two-day national seminar on 'administrative technical terminology and scientific writing' here yesterday.

The minister appreciated the fact that Aizawl-based Universal Hindi Communications Centre and the Scientific & Technical Terminology, Ministry of HRD, organised such a seminar on the importance of Hindi in a remote part of India like Mizoram.

Pointing out how Mizoram had made efforts to promote Hindi in the state, Dr Lalzama said the first Hindi learning school had been set up in Lunglei in 1969, which was followed by a Hindi Training College in 1975.

Inaugurating the seminar the day before, School Education Minister Dr R Lalthangliana emphasised on the importance of Hindi for development.

He said, ''Proficiency in English and Hindi will help the state accelerate development in all spheres.'' The minister encouraged the gathering to try to speak English and Hindi correctly and to use it in their work, as this can be an example of how much the state had developed.

Lalthangliana also announced that plans were on for 687 Hindi teachers for primary schools, in addition to the 500 recruited last year.

He added that another 350 Hindi teachers would also be recruited for high schools in the near future.

Papers presented by professors from Delhi University, Jawaharlal Nehru University, Arunachal University, Asom and Manipur University and NEHU and experts in Hindi and English language from Mizoram were discussed in the seminar, attended by officials of the Town Official Language Implementation Committee (TOLIC) and the Commission for Scientific & Technical Terminology.

--- UNI