Hindi is one of the 22 scheduled languages of the Republic of India. However, it's not limited to the borders of our country.
World Hindi Day - January 10 every year - is celebrated to promote Hindi as an international language, and to acknowledge its significance in our culture and heritage. A member of the Indo-Aryan language group within the Indo-European language family, Hindi is one of the official languages (not the national language) of India and is recognized as the world's fourth most-spoken first language (after Mandarin, Spanish, and English).
While Hindi is widely spoken in India (particularly in the northern regions), it's not limited within the borders. Well, it's popular in several other countries as well.
A beautiful island country located in the lap of the Indian Ocean, Mauritius has been a go-to destination for Indians for quite some time - whether for work or travel. During the late 19th and early 20th century, many Indians migrated to Mauritius as indentured laborers, bringing their language and culture with them. According to several reports, two-thirds of the population in the country is of Indian origin, and around a third of the population speaks Hindi. Also, in several schools, it's taught as a second or third language.
Notably, Bollywood films and songs are quite popular there.
Similar to Mauritius, the popularity of Hindi in Fiji is a result of migration from India. About 38% of Fiji's population are of Indian origin, most of whom speak Hindi. With time, it has turned into a distinct dialect, called Fiji Hindi - categorized as "an Indo-Aryan language spoken by Indo-Fijians". It's heavily influenced by Bhojpuri, other Eastern Hindi and Bihari dialects, and Standard Hindi-Urdu, and has borrowed vocabulary from English, Fijian, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Bengali, Punjabi, and Gujarati.
Hindi is taught in schools here, while Indian festivals like Diwali, Ram Navami, and Holi are celebrated with great fervor.
Nepal is a neighboring country to India and also has some cultural similarities with us. And hence, it's no surprise that Hindi is one of the most prominent languages here. According to reports, the country is home to as many as 8 million Hindi-speaking people. There are several reasons behind that, one is obviously Nepal's popularity as a tourist destination for Indians. Also, Bollywood films and music are incredibly popular here, making the language more accessible among locals.
The language is widely used in trades and markets here as well.
Singapore has had a connection with India for centuries and is home to a massive number of Indian-origin people. The country has a truly cosmopolitan environment, where Hindi thrives as one of the most prominent languages. Its popularity is particularly evident in markets, cultural performances, and corporates. Bollywood films get released here, contributing to the same as well.
Notably, Tamil is an official language in Singapore. Besides, Telegu, Malayalam, Bengali, Punjabi, and Gujarati are also popular here.
The list doesn't end here. Besides these countries, it also includes Bhutan, Maldives, the United States, the United Kingdom, Malaysia, etc.
