By — Shyamal Sinha

A two-day National Seminar on the theme “The Role of Various Institutions in the Promotion of Hindi and Global Dialogue” is being organized at Nalanda University on January 9–10, 2026. More than 100 scholars from across the country and abroad are participating in this seminar, including senior fellows, Vice-Chancellors and professors from higher education institutions, officials from Hindi promotional organizations, editors from journals and media houses, writers, administrators, and researchers. This event will advance a multi-dimensional discourse on the contemporary role of the Hindi language, its global acceptance, and its central position within the Indian Knowledge Tradition.

The inaugural session of the seminar will be held on January 9 at 11:00 AM at the Sushma Swaraj Auditorium. During the inaugural session, the Vice-Chancellor of the University, Professor Sachin Chaturvedi, will introduce the theme. On this occasion, distinguished guests such as Shri Anjani Kumar Singh (Director General of Bihar Museum and former Chief Secretary, Government of Bihar), Shri Abhay Kumar (India’s Ambassador to Azerbaijan), and Shri Tarun Vijay (Director of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Research Foundation and former Rajya Sabha MP) will grace the program with their presence. The two-day seminar is scheduled to include seven academic sessions and a valedictory session.

Scholarly speakers associated with several prestigious institutions, including Banaras Hindu University, University of Delhi, University of Hyderabad, IIT Kanpur, Central Institute of Higher Tibetan Studies (CIHTS), Dakshina Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha, Rashtrabhasha Prachar Samiti, and Hindi Sahitya Sammelan, will present their research-based insights. Some sessions will also feature online participation, giving the event an international dimension alongside its national character.

The first session of the seminar, titled “Linguistic Innovation and Editorial Vision,” will discuss Hindi journalism, editing, and the contemporary form of the language. This session will be chaired by Shri Tarun Vijay (Former Rajya Sabha MP and Editor of Panchjanya). Key speakers include Shri Jaydeep Karnik (Digital Editor, Amar Ujala), Prof. Arun Kumar Bhagat (Member, Bihar Public Service Commission), Prof. Hemant Kukreti (Joint Editor, Amrit Manthan), and Shri Sachin Joshi (Author and Journalist).

The second session, “Nalanda and Literary Culture,” will focus on the historical, intellectual, and literary traditions of Nalanda. This session will be chaired by Shri Anjani Kumar Singh (Director General, Bihar Museum). Notable speakers include Prof. Shiv Kumar Singh (University of Lisbon, Portugal), Prof. Hira Paul Gangnegi (Former HOD, University of Delhi), Dr. Vinayak Pandey (Maharishi Panini Sanskrit and Vedic University, Ujjain), and Prof. Shivpal Sharma (Banaras Hindu University).

The third session, “Linguistic Innovation: Artificial Intelligence and Technical Applications,” centers on the digital future of the Hindi language. This session will be chaired by Shri Amitabh Nag (CEO, Bhashini—Digital India Project). Specialists such as Prof. Amba Kulkarni (University of Hyderabad), Prof. (Dr.) Sai Ramakrishna Susarla (MIT–IIKS), and Prof. Anant Bhattacharya (IIT Kanpur) will participate through both online and offline modes.

The fourth session, “Cultural and Philosophical Role of Hindi,” will deliberate on the intellectual, cultural, and philosophical dimensions of Hindi. The session will be chaired by Prof. Harikesh Singh (Former Vice-Chancellor, Jai Prakash University). Speakers include Prof. H.P. Shukla, Prof. Hulnath Pandey (University of Mumbai), Prof. Pramod Kumar (B.R. Ambedkar University, Muzaffarpur), Prof. Jainendra Kumar Pandey, and Dr. Shashiprabha Atri.

On the second day, the fifth session, “Contribution of Higher Educational Institutions,” and the sixth session, “Contribution of Hindi Promotional Organizations,” will examine the roles of the country’s leading universities and Hindi advocacy groups. In these sessions, distinguished scholars including Prof. Krishna Kumar Singh, Prof. Wangchuk Dorjee Negi, Prof. Rajkumar, Prof. R. S. Sarraju, Prof. Sanketu Sankritya, Shri Hemchandra Vaidya, Shri Kuntak Mishra, and Prof. Annapurna C. will present their views.

The final academic session will focus on “Hindi as an Official Language of the United Nations,” chaired by Smt. Anju Ranjan (Joint Secretary, Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India). Senior speakers such as Ambassador Abhay Kumar, Prof. Vinod Kumar Mishra (Former Secretary-General, World Hindi Secretariat, Mauritius), Prof. Dilip Singh, and Dr. Rajeshwar Kumar will share their insights on Hindi’s global role.

The valedictory session, to be held on January 10, will present a summary of the seminar’s deliberations and develop a consolidated vision regarding the future of the Hindi language, its role in global dialogue, and the relevance of the Nalanda tradition.