Agartala: Tripura is set to host a Joint Regional Official Language (Rajbhasha) Conference in Agartala on February 20, bringing together representatives from the Eastern, Northeastern, and Northern regions to review the implementation of the Official Language Policy. The conference will be inaugurated at 2 pm by Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah.
Addressing a press conference at Sonar Tari State Guest House on Thursday, Secretary, Department of Official Language under the Ministry of Home Affairs, Anshuli Arya, said the initiative seeks to promote coordination and exchange of best practices among regions.
Arya said that, as per the Constitution of India, Hindi in Devanagari script is the official language of the Union.
The Department of Official Language, set up on June 26, 1975, functions under the Ministry of Home Affairs to ensure progressive use of Hindi in official work and monitor compliance with the Official Language Policy. It organises four regional official language conferences every financial year to review implementation and suggest improvements.
The first joint regional conference for 2025–26 was held at Devi Ahilya University in Indore. The Agartala event is the second such conference in the current financial year.
For administrative purposes, the country has been divided into Regions ‘A’, ‘B’, and ‘C’ based on the use of Hindi. Town Official Language Implementation Committees and eight Regional Implementation Offices under the Ministry of Home Affairs oversee compliance and promote the use of Hindi in official communication.
Participants will include officials from West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, and Jharkhand in the Eastern Region; Assam, Tripura, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, and Sikkim in the Northeastern Region; and states in the Northern Region.
Senior officials from central government offices, banks, and public sector undertakings in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Haryana, Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jammu and Kashmir, and Ladakh are also expected to attend.
During the inaugural session, awards will be presented to central government offices, banks, and undertakings for performance in implementing the Official Language Policy. The “Narakas Rajbhasha Samman” will be conferred on City Official Language Implementation Committees. A total of 80 awards will be given based on quarterly progress reports submitted through the Information Management System.
A North-East special issue of ‘Rajbhasha Bharati’ will be released on the occasion. Two books, Indian Languages and the Official Language Hindi – Timeless Works and Amritvani – Timeless Inspiring Verses of Sanskrit — will also be unveiled.
Arya said publishing quality books and research-based compilations has become an important medium for disseminating India’s linguistic heritage among younger generations.
She said the Indian Languages Section, established in line with the vision of the Union Home Minister, is facilitating communication with states in their respective official languages to promote inclusive governance and reduce dependence on foreign languages.
Referring to the vision of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Arya said the multilingual translation platform Bharati – Multilingual Translation Charioteer has been developed to bridge linguistic gaps between Hindi and 15 languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
Exhibition stalls by banks, literary institutions, and other organisations will be set up at the venue to showcase activities related to official language implementation.
A yoga session has been scheduled on February 19 from 4 pm to 5 pm at the International Indoor Exhibition Centre in Hapania. The session will include yoga asanas, pranayama, and stress management exercises under the guidance of instructors.
Concluding the press meet, Arya said Hindi, along with Sanskrit and other Indian languages, forms a vital part of the country’s cultural heritage and urged stakeholders to participate in the conference and fulfil constitutional obligations under the Official Language Policy.