The National Library of South Africa (NLSA) partnered with the High Commission of India to celebrate World Hindi Day. This special event was held at the NLSA’s Pretoria Campus on Saturday, 10 January 2026.

World Hindi Day is observed annually on January 10 to promote the use of Hindi as a global language and to highlight its cultural, literary, and diplomatic significance. The day commemorates the First World Hindi Conference held in Nagpur in 1975, which brought together scholars and representatives from across the world to discuss the international role of Hindi.

World Hindi Day celebrates Hindi as a unifying language that connects millions of people worldwide, reflecting India’s rich cultural heritage, while encouraging its use in international communication, education, and cultural exchange.

The highlight of the event was the screening of a Hindi movie, “English Vinglish”, which has English subtitles.

During his welcome address, the CFO of the NLSA, Mr Seeiso Tlali, highlighted the significance of the preservation and celebration of languages. “As the custodian of South Africa’s documentary heritage, the National Library of South Africa firmly believes in the preservation and celebration of languages in all their forms. Libraries are spaces where languages live, evolve, and are shared. They are places where cultural memory is safeguarded and where mutual understanding is nurtured. Hosting World Hindi Day aligns perfectly with our mandate to promote knowledge and multilingualism.”

The High Commissioner of India, His Excellency Mr. Prabhat Kumar, and Ms. Banu Prakash, Deputy High Commissioner, and some NLSA executive management were in attendance.