Hindi Finds Its Voice in Nicosia on Hindi Diwas 2026

Poster: High Commission of India in Cyprus (@indiacyprus)

On the evening of Saturday 19 September, Hindi took centre stage in Nicosia. The High Commission of India marked Hindi Diwas 2026 at its complex in Engomi, inviting the community to come either as competitors or simply as an audience.

An evening of poems, songs and speeches

High Commissioner Mr Manish opened the programme with an address. Then it was the participants' turn, with competitions in poetry recitation, singing and speech-making, all in Hindi. The evening closed in the most Indian way possible: over refreshments and conversation.

Why Hindi Diwas?

Hindi Diwas is normally celebrated on 14 September. It marks the day in 1949 when India's Constituent Assembly adopted Hindi, written in the Devanagari script, as an official language of the Union. Indian missions around the world mark the occasion with events like this one, often a little after the date itself.

What this means for you

For families raising children in Cyprus, Hindi can easily slip away as Greek and English take over at school. Events like this give children a reason to practise, and a stage to feel proud of the language. A few simple ideas to keep it going at home:

• Speak Hindi (or your mother tongue) at the dinner table, even if the children reply in English at first.
• Watch a Hindi film or listen to old songs together, and talk about the lyrics.
• Encourage children to learn a short poem and recite it to grandparents on a video call.

Follow the High Commission on Instagram so you hear about next year's competitions in time to prepare.

Read also: One Home, Three Languages: Keeping Your Mother Tongue Alive

Source: High Commission of India in Cyprus (@indiacyprus) on Instagram