A one-day national seminar on the topic ‘Interrelationship Between Hindi and South Indian Languages’ was held at SDM College, Ujire, on September 18, jointly organized by the Hindi Department and Canara Bank, Ujire branch.
Inaugurating the seminar, Dr. Satishchandra S., Secretary of SDM Educational Institutions, highlighted the significance of Hindi as the national language despite India having 22 official languages and 121 recognized languages. He remarked, “Language is a tool to express emotions, not a symbol of prestige.” The chief guest, Dr. Subhash G. Rane, Director of Higher Education and Research at Dakshin Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha, Madras, spoke about the widespread use of Hindi across India, referring to its script, Devanagari, as “the script of the gods.” Dr. Mukund Prabhu, Head of the Hindi Department at St. Aloysius College, Mangaluru, provided insights into the history and literary works of the Hindi language.
Prof. Dhanyakumar Birajdar, a member of the Academic Council and poet from Solapur’s Punyashlok Ahilyadevi Holkar University, also extended his best wishes for the seminar. Presiding over the event, SDM College Principal Dr. B.A. Kumar Hegde spoke about the role of Hindi in fostering unity and harmony in India. “With most of the country speaking Hindi, it’s crucial for everyone to learn the language to enhance national integration and tap into the vast knowledge in Hindi literature,” he said. The seminar was attended by students and faculty from ten colleges across the district, as well as the students and faculty of SDM College. The program began with a prayer by Vaidehi and her team. Dr. Mallikarjun N., Head of the Hindi Department, welcomed the gathering, and Assistant Professor Shruti Manekikar compered the event, with second-year B.Com student Dharini delivering the vote of thanks.