World Hindi Day: Hindi training course launched for Sri Lankan police
New Delhi: On the occasion of World Hindi Day (January 10), the Indian High Commission launched a Hindi Proficiency Course on Monday for the Sri Lankan police in Colombo.
It launched the course at the High Commission’s cultural arm, Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC), where Vinod K. Jacob, India’s Acting High Commissioner, to Sri Lanka presided. Major General (Retd.) Jagath Alwis, Secretary, Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Public Security, was the Chief Guest, and C.D. Wickramaratne, Inspector General of Police, was the Guest of Honour.
Vinod read out special messages from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar, Minister of State Meenakshi Lekhi, and India’s High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay
In his message, PM Modi emphasized the popularity of the Hindi language and its expanding use in Information and Communication Technology. Dr. S. Jaishankar expressed gratitude over the events organized by Indian missions overseas to commemorate World Hindi Day.
Lekhi underlined the importance of Hindi as a language of peace and compassion in connecting India with other countries and their people. Baglay said he was delighted to see the passion with which Sri Lankan police officers learned Hindi, both for their official and personal uses.
Jacob said the cultural and linguistic ties between Sri Lanka and India date back to over two millennia. He said Hindi would further deepen these ties. The Government of India awards several scholarships to Sri Lankan students each year to pursue their Hindi studies in prominent Indian educational institutions, he added.
The SVCC is a key player in the promotion of Hindi throughout the island nation, where the language is taught in about 10 institutions and 80 government schools.
(Venkatesh Iyer)
