The Embassy of India in Turkmenistan hosted an event dedicated to World Hindi Day, celebrated on January 10. The event focused on the language, literature, and culture of India.
The date was chosen in honor of the first World Hindi Conference, held in 1975 in Nagpur. Today, Hindi is the third-largest language in the world by number of speakers, with over 600 million speakers, behind only English and Chinese.
Students from the D. Azadi Turkmen National Institute of World Languages opened the program. They presented literary compositions and poetry readings in Hindi, demonstrating the language’s pronunciation and rhythmic features.
The performances included vocals. Female vocals were accompanied by musical excerpts from Indian films, including a student rendition of Raj Kapoor’s hit “Awara Hoon.” Dance performances in traditional saris complemented the musical selections.
A group of girls from the Ashgabat Yoga Center performed a demonstration linking physical exercise with Indian philosophy.
The theme for the 2026 festival is “Hindi – An Emotional Connector.” Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India Bandaru Wilsonbabu read a message from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, noting the language’s role in conveying Indian values and its popularity in digital media. The ambassador emphasized the importance of learning Hindi for strengthening cultural and economic cooperation with Turkmenistan.
Active students received certificates and gifts. The evening concluded with a tasting of Indian dishes.
The event demonstrated Turkmen students’ interest in learning Hindi and strengthened cultural ties between the countries.
