THE MINISTER OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS(SHRI JASWANT SINGH)
(a) The Ministry of External Affairs, through the Missions/Posts abroad, regularly
organize events to observe Hindi Week/Fortnight and Hindi literary & organize ation events
to propagate Hindi abroad. Some of the Missions, which approached the Ministry and were
provided financial and material assistance during the last two years, were located in the
following countries: Canada, Croatia, Tanzania, Saudi Arabia, Fiji, U.K., Suriname, Nepal, Trinidad &
Tobago, Australia, Uzbekistan, Belgium, Libya and Thailand.
(b) Yes, Sir.
(c), (d) & (e) The Ministry has a well-formulated scheme of propagation and promotion of Hindi abroad.
Under its scheme, Missions are requested to rganize various Hindi propagating activities and
reports of activities are received from them. Ministry supplies good quality Hindi literature
on various subjects, such as, art, culture, history, philosophy etc. to its Missions / posts
abroad for their libraries as well as for donating to various voluntary Hindi associations/
organi- sations engaged in promotion and propagation of Hindi. Missions are also supplied
textbooks, dictionaries, audio-videocassettes, computer Hindi software, CD-ROMs etc. Our Missions
also maintain close contacts with the local organizations and the Indian community.
Our Missions also co-ordinate the work relating to the selection of foreign students for
studying Hindi at Kendriya Hindi Sansthan, Agra, on Government of India scholarship. Hindi
teachers and lecturers are also deputed through ICCR in foreign countries. Various cultural
programmes, literary events, Hindi essay competitions, film shows etc. are parts of the
activities of promoting Hindi abroad. Many of our Missions also hold regular Hindi classes.
(f) The countries where Hindi is being taught at various universities & schools include: Ethopia, Hong Kong, Zanzibar, Hungary, Indonesia, Poland, North Korea, Spain,
Netherlands, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Libya, Ireland, Qatar, Bangla Desh, Peru, Turkey,
Botswana, Croatia, Zakarta, Bahrain, Russian Federation, Canada, S. Korea, Amman,
Suriname, Germany, Czech Republic, Ukraine, Egypt, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Denmark, Trinidad
& Tobago, Thailand and Uzbekistan. The Indian Missions abroad are providing them the following assistance:
(i) Donation of Hindi books & text materials on various subjects.
(ii) Donation of Hindi teaching material, audio-video cassettes, computer Hindi softwares, CD-ROMs etc.
(iii) Hindi teachers to selected institutions in certain countries.
