Imphal, September 18, 2026: Manipur University concluded its Hindi Pakhwada 2026 with a closing ceremony organised by the Official Language Cell at the Court Hall of the University on Friday. The fortnight was inaugurated on September 3 and featured a series of programmes aimed at encouraging the use of simple and practical Hindi in official work,
Prof. R.K. Hemakumar Singh, Vice-Chancellor of Manipur University, attended the closing ceremony as Chief Guest. Prof. Sagolsem Lanchenba Meetei, Dean, School of Humanities, Dhanamanjuri University, was the Special Guest. Prof. Moirangthem Premjit Singh, Registrar, Manipur University, and Prof. Laishram Rajendrakumar Singh, Finance Officer, Manipur University, attended as Guests of Honour. The function was presided over by Prof. Soibam Jibonkumar Singh, former Dean, School of Human and Environmental Sciences, Manipur University.
Welcoming the gathering, Dr Binita Akoijam, Assistant Director of the Official Language Cell, said the Hindi Fortnight was organised to encourage officers and employees of the University to gradually increase the use of Hindi in their day-to-day official work. She clarified that promoting Hindi did not mean replacing English or insisting on the exclusive use of one language. The purpose was to encourage the use of simple and commonly understood Hindi, wherever possible, while meeting the official-language targets prescribed by the Government of India.
Dr Binita informed that the Ministry of Home Affairs had directed ministries and organisations under their administrative control to observe September as Hindi Month. Since the direction was received after the University had already circulated its programme, the activities scheduled from September 1 to 15 were conducted as Hindi Fortnight. She said the University would make efforts to observe Hindi Month in accordance with the latest directions in the coming years.
As part of Hindi Fortnight 2026, competitions in self-composed Hindi poetry recitation, extempore speech, dictation, handwriting and Hindi proficiency were organised. Thirty participants took part in the competitions. Seventeen participants were also selected for consolation prizes. The Official Language Cell separately assessed the use of Hindi in official noting and drafting during the financial year 2025–26. Six entries were received under this category, and prizes were presented to the top three performers along with consolation awards for the remaining participants.
Dr Binita appealed to University employees to begin by using even a small amount of Hindi in their official work. She said such individual efforts would gradually improve the University’s performance in the quarterly official-language reports submitted to the Ministry. She also informed the gathering that reference materials prepared by the Official Language Cell were available to help employees use Hindi expressions and terminology in administrative work.
A reference booklet prepared to make the use of Hindi in official work simpler and more convenient was released by the dignitaries during the ceremony.
Addressing the gathering, Prof. R.K. Hemakumar Singh said the real development of a language becomes possible when its use is not confined to formal celebrations but becomes a natural part of daily communication and official work. The use of simple, clear and accessible Hindi in University administration, he said, could improve both the efficiency and effectiveness of official communication. He congratulated the Official Language Cell, the participants and the winners of the competitions.
Prof. Sagolsem Lanchenba Meetei encouraged the employees and students not to hesitate to speak Hindi because of fears about grammar or pronunciation. He said language could be learned only through regular use, and that the regional character of spoken Hindi should not discourage anyone from communicating. Referring to the practical importance of Hindi while travelling and interacting with people outside Manipur, he urged the University community to use the language more confidently. He also suggested instituting an annual award for employees who make notable use of Hindi in official files.
Prof. Moirangthem Premjit Singh said Hindi Fortnight was not merely an occasion to organise language-related programmes but also an opportunity to review the use of Hindi in official work and identify ways to take it forward. He said the use of simple and familiar Hindi in letters, office orders, notices, official notes and other documents would help the University comply more effectively with the directions of the Department of Official Language under the Ministry of Home Affairs. He appreciated the efforts of the Official Language Cell and congratulated all participants and awardees.
Prof. Laishram Rajendrakumar Singh said language served as a bridge connecting people from different regions and linguistic backgrounds. In a country with many languages, Hindi played an important role in enabling communication among people. He said the use of simple language could make official communication easier and more accessible. He congratulated the Official Language Cell for successfully conducting several activities during the fortnight and encouraged employees to continue using Hindi beyond the formal observance.
Presiding over the function, Prof. Soibam Jibonkumar Singh delivered his address in an informal and engaging manner. He said fluency or perfect grammar should not become a barrier to speaking Hindi. If people could understand one another, even functional or “working Hindi” served an important purpose. Recalling his own experiences of learning and using the language, he said knowledge of Hindi became particularly useful when people from Manipur travelled to other parts of the country. He supported the proposal to recognise employees who make greater use of Hindi in official work and congratulated the winners and participants.
The closing ceremony also featured the distribution of prizes and certificates to winners and participants in the various competitions. The speakers appreciated the active participation of the University’s officers, faculty members and employees and expressed hope that the interest generated during Hindi Pakhwada would be reflected in the University’s routine administrative work.
Hindi Fortnight 2026 was inaugurated at Manipur University on September 3. The inaugural programme included a technical session in which Dr Irengbam Tilokchan Singh, Programmer at Manipur University, delivered a lecture on Hindi and artificial intelligence.
