Sushma Swaraj Invokes Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Recites His Poems at World Hindi Conference in Mauritius

Port Louis: External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj invoked former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and recited some of his poems at the World Hindi Conference in Mauritius.

The second day of the 11th World Hindi Conference saw deliberations on relations of Culture and Language with films, media and literature.

The three-day conference, aimed at expanding the reach of the Hindi language at a global level, started by observing a two-minute silence to pay tribute to Vajpayee, who died in New Delhi on Thursday at the age of 93 after a prolonged illness

Swaraj who said that is crucial to protect, propagate and conserve Hindi in its pure form because language and culture are inextricably linked, invoked Vajpayee and much to the joy of the audience, recited some of his poems.

In her opening statement, Swaraj said Hindi representatives from across the globe are paying tributes to Vajpayee, who was an exponent of Hindi and established the language at the international level by addressing the UN for the first time in Hindi.

"Those who paid their rich tribute to Atal Ji through his poetries, I deeply thank them. It is a fittingly deserving tribute to a tall leader like Atal Ji," she said as she went on to highlight the political resonance of many of Vajpayee’s couplets.

Taking responsibility of preserving Hindi language in other countries, Swaraj announced a Hindi weekly news bulletin from the platform of the UN that has started broadcast as part of a pilot project and can be heard by hindi speakers across the globe.

"This weekly bulletin could be converted into a daily bulletin. For that the world body will oversee the response of listeners and rate accordingly for two years. If the response will be good, then it will be converted into a daily news bulletin," she said.

"India has made it clear that it is ready to bear all expenses to make Hindi one of the official languages of the UN, but its rules for acquiring such a status prevents the country from doing so," she added.

Earlier on Sunday, Swaraj inaugurated 'Panini Language Laboratory' at Mahatma Gandhi Institute (MGI) in Mauritius. The lab, gifted by the Indian government, will help MGI in teaching Indian languages in Mauritius.

Swaraj stressed on the neccessity to develop similar laboratories equipped with all modern technologies facilities in India in order to promote Hindi and regional languages.

Swaraj also met with the Mauritian leadership and held bilateral meetings with Prime Minister Pravind Kumar Jagnauth, former Prime Minister of Mauritius, Paul Berenger, former Prime Minister of Mauritius Navinchandra Ramgoolam and leader of opposition of Mauritius Xavier Luc Duval.

Several eminent scholars from India and Mauritus participated in the event, including renowned lyricist and poet Prasoon Joshi, Goa's Governor Mridula Sinha and West Bengal Governor Keshri Nath Tripathi, among others.

The World Hindi Conference is organised every three years and in the past it has been organised thrice in India, twice in Mauritius, and one time each in Trinidad and Tobago, Suriname, the UK, the US and South Africa.

This year the symbol of the world Hindi conference is "a peacock and a dodo

Dodo symbolises the gradual obsolescence of Hindi and the Indian peacock will come to save the dodo.

On the occasion, Mauritian Prime Minister Pravind Jugnauth issued two new postage stamps -- one has the image of the national flags of India and Mauritius while the other has the image of national birds, peacock and dodo.

The prime minister also announced to name the cyber tower in Mauritius made with the Indian assistance as "Atal Bihari Vajpayee tower".

Goa Governor Mridula Sinha and West Bengal Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi also took part in the inaugural session.

During the conference, delegates from India and various countries will deliberate on eight subtopics on 'Hindi World and Indian Culture'.

(With inputs from other agencies)