Hindi Diwas or Hindi Day was celebrated by the Indian High Commission in Suva on Thursday night.
To commemorate the special day, which is celebrated annually on September 14, various items were presented by dance groups and children singing.
Indian High Commissioner to Fiji Vishvas Sapkal said the language was brought to Fiji by indentured labourers and was commonly spoken by local Fijians of Indian descent.
He said children in the country needed to maintain and know their true cultural identity and the true meaning of the Hindi language.
“In Fiji, Hindi has a special significance. It is the third official language spoken in the country. When the girmitya came to Fiji, they came from all regions across India with different dialects. They didn’t have a single means to communicate with each other here. Then the Fiji Hindi was formed,” Mr Sapkal said.
He said Hindi played an important role in the development of the country.
University of the South Pacific vice-chancellor Professor Rajesh Chandra said the Hindi language was preserved well in the country for the future generation.
“There are changes in our communities and lifestyles. It is important for us to keep and retain our culture, language and identity. This will give us a lot of confidence,” Prof Chandra said.
Meanwhile, a qawwali group from India will arrive in the country to take part in the Festival of India program next month. An Indian food festival will also be held in conjunction with the program.
