Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Feb 20: Union Home Minister Amit Shah is set to inaugurate the Joint Regional Official Language Conference (Rajbhasha Sammelan) covering the Eastern, North-Eastern and Northern regions in Agartala on Friday.
According to Anshuli Arya, secretary of the Department of Official Language under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA), the event will bring together more than 3,000 senior officials, representatives and subject experts from Central government offices, public sector undertakings and banks across the three regions. Representatives from nearly 20 states will participate, marking the first time such a conference is being hosted in Tripura.
Broad Regional Participation
States attending from the Eastern region include West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar and Jharkhand.
From the North-East, delegates will arrive from Assam, Tripura, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh and Sikkim.
Northern region participants will represent Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh.
Focus on Technology and Language Promotion
Arya highlighted that artificial intelligence and modern technologies are expected to play a transformative role in addressing language-related challenges in governance.
She noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Amit Shah consistently use simple and accessible Hindi to communicate with citizens. She also emphasised that the Union government promotes not only Hindi but all 22 constitutionally recognised Indian languages, including regional and local languages, to preserve and strengthen India’s cultural heritage.
Clarifying concerns, Arya stated that there is no intent to impose Hindi on other Indian languages.
Awards and Publications
During the conference, 80 Regional Official Language Awards for 2024–25 will be presented to Central government offices, banks and public sector undertakings for exemplary implementation of the Official Language Policy. Selected City Official Language Implementation Committees will also receive the Nagar Rajbhasha Karyanvayan Samiti (NARAKAS) Rajbhasha Samman.
Awardees are chosen based on quarterly progress reports submitted through the official information management system and will be honoured with certificates and shields.
The inaugural session will also feature the release of the Northeast Special Issue of Rajbhasha Bharati, prepared by the Department of Official Language. Two additional publications — Indian Languages and the Official Language Hindi – Timeless Works and Timeless Inspiring Verses of Amritvani Sanskrit — will be unveiled.
An exhibition showcasing innovative practices and achievements in official language implementation by banks, literary institutions and other organisations will be organised alongside the conference.
Additional Activities
Ahead of the main event, a yoga session promoting wellness and stress management among officials is being held, featuring basic asanas, pranayama and relaxation techniques under expert guidance.
The Department of Official Language was established as an independent department on June 26, 1975, to ensure effective implementation of constitutional provisions related to Hindi as the Union’s official language in the Devanagari script. It conducts four regional official language conferences each financial year to review progress and encourage the use of Hindi in official communication.
This event marks the second joint regional conference of the 2025–26 financial year, following the earlier session held at Devi Ahilya University in Indore.