Union Home Minister Amit Shah on September 14, addressed the 5th Akhil Bharatiya Rajbhasha Sammelan in Gandhinagar on the occasion of Hindi Diwas 2025, where he called upon citizens to respect all Indian languages while fostering Hindi as the Rajbhasha (official language) to strengthen national unity and self-reliance.
Extending greetings on Hindi Diwas, Shah said, “On this occasion, let us respect all Indian languages, including Hindi, and move forward towards a self-reliant, self-confident and developed India.”
Shah highlighted India’s cultural and linguistic diversity as its greatest strength. “Our country is fundamentally a language-oriented nation. Our languages have carried forward culture, history, traditions, science, philosophy, and spirituality for generations. This linguistic richness makes India unique,” he said.
The Union Home Minister recalled Mahatma Gandhi’s words on the importance of Hindi in connecting the nation. “Mahatma Gandhi, despite being from Gujarat, said Hindi connects the entire country. I studied in Gujarati medium, but it is because of Hindi that I can communicate across India,” Shah remarked.
He urged people to lay equal emphasis on their mother tongues while also contributing to the growth of Hindi. “If Sanskrit has given us knowledge, Hindi has taken that knowledge across the country,” he added.
During his address, Shah praised the introduction of “Saarthi,” a new translation app designed to provide seamless translations from Hindi into other Indian languages. Calling it a proud moment, he said such innovations will make inter-language communication easier and strengthen cultural unity.
He also referred to Article 351 of the Constitution, which entrusts the government with the responsibility of promoting Hindi to make it an effective medium of India’s composite culture. “We must adopt Indian languages as the medium of communication and interaction,” he stressed.
Shah is on a one-day visit to Gujarat, where he will inaugurate an international sports complex worth ₹824 crore in the Naranpura area of Ahmedabad later in the day.
The Home Minister concluded his Hindi Diwas address with an appeal to citizens: “Walk together, think together, and speak together. Respect all Indian languages, help Rajbhasha grow, and move ahead towards a self-reliant and confident India.”
