On the occasion of the World Hindi Day on January 10, 2022, the High Commission of India launched a ‘Hindi Proficiency Course’ for Sri Lanka Police personnel. The launch event was held at the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC), the cultural arm of the High Commission and was attended by Secretary, Ministry of Public Security Major General (retd.) Jagath Alwis, as the Chief Guest, and Inspector General of Police C.D. Wickramaratne, as the Guest of Honour. Acting High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Vinod K. Jacob also graced the occasion. The programme was attended by 70 senior Police officers and officials of the Sri Lanka Police.

During the event, the Acting High Commissioner read out special messages of the Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi and the Minister of External Affairs Dr. S. Jaishankar. Video messages of Minister of State for External Affairs and Culture, Mrs. Meenakshi Lekhi, and High Commissioner of India to Sri Lanka Gopal Baglay, were also shared with the audience.

In his message, extending his wishes on the World Hindi Day, Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted the popularity of the Hindi language and its increasing usage in Information and Communication technology. Minister of External Affairs, Dr. S. Jaishankar also extended his good wishes and expressed happiness on the organization of various events by Indian Missions abroad commemorating the World Hindi Day. MoS Mrs. Meenakshi Lekhi underlined that Hindi, as a language of peace and compassion, plays an important role in connecting India with other countries and their people. Through his special video message, High Commissioner Gopal Baglay, greeted Major General (Retd.) Jagath Alwis, Mr. C.D. Wickramaratne and other distinguished officers and staff of Sri Lanka Police. He expressed happiness on Sri Lanka Police personnel’s enthusiasm in learning Hindi language, both for their official work as well as personal interest.

Speaking on the occasion, Acting High Commissioner Shri Vinod K. Jacob recalled that the cultural and linguistic relations of Sri Lanka and India date back to more than two millennia, and in contemporary times, Hindi further strengthens these relations. He underscored that every year a large number of scholarships are offered by the Government of India to students of Sri Lanka to pursue their Hindi studies in reputed institutions and universities of India. SVCC plays a vital role in promotion of Hindi language all over the island. He also highlighted that Hindi is being taught in about 10 universities and 80 government schools in Sri Lanka. He recalled that recently, late Professor Indra Dassanayake was posthumously honoured with a “Padma Shri” award, one of the highest civilian honours of India, by the President of India in recognition of her contribution to the dissemination of Hindi language and literature in Sri Lanka. This reiterates the importance the Government of India attaches to its cultural ties with Sri Lanka and indicates its commitment to strengthen the India-Sri Lanka people-to-people bond.

Secretary, Ministry of Public Security Major General (retd.) Jagath Alwis expressed his happiness at the launch of the Hindi Course for Sri Lanka Police to mark the World Hindi Day. He thanked the Government of India and the High Commission of India for the assistance provided to the Sri Lanka Police from time to time. He also highlighted that the special Hindi course will help in strengthening the cultural relations between the two countries and also in promotion of tourism between the two countries.

The Hindi students of SVCC presented a cultural programme at the event and sang popular Hindi and Sinhala songs. The inaugural programme was followed by the first lecture of the Hindi course for Sri Lanka Police personnel.