Nagaland Governor Nand Kishore Yadav says Hindi promotion and preservation of indigenous languages can coexist, strengthening communication and cultural identity
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KOHIMA — Governor Nand Kishore Yadav on Thursday emphasised that promotion of Hindi and preservation of indigenous languages can go together, stressing that linguistic diversity is one of the foundations of India’s unity.
He was speaking at the prize distribution ceremony of Hindi Film Song Competition organised by Akashvani Kohima as part of Hindi Pakhwada 2026 at the Akashvani office complex, Kohima.
Yadav said that Hindi Pakhwada, observed around Hindi Diwas, should also provide an opportunity to recognise and appreciate India’s linguistic diversity.
“In a state like Nagaland, where numerous indigenous languages and dialects are an important part of our cultural heritage, the celebration of Hindi also gives us an opportunity to appreciate the importance of every Indian language,” he said.
The governor maintained that India does not have to choose between linguistic diversity and national unity, as its diversity itself can become a bridge for greater understanding and unity.
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Every language, he said, carries the memory of a community, including its history, traditional knowledge, values, songs and stories.
Yadav stressed that Hindi should be promoted with the same spirit of respect and appreciation for the languages of local communities. Learning Hindi, he added, could help people communicate with citizens from different parts of the country, while indigenous languages kept communities connected to their roots.
“One strengthens our ability to connect; the other strengthens our sense of identity,” Yadav said.
Linking the idea to the spirit of Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat, he said that languages and cultures should not diminish one another but coexist, interact and contribute to the wider national fabric.
On the practical role of Hindi, the governor said could serve as a useful means of communication for people travelling, studying, working or serving outside their linguistic regions. However, he stressed that communication was ultimately about understanding people and not merely about vocabulary and grammar.
Speaking about the Hindi film song competition, Yadav said music could transcend linguistic barriers and bring people together through emotions such as happiness, love, nostalgia, hope and friendship, even when listeners did not understand every word.
He also highlighted Nagaland’s vibrant musical culture, saying music had become an important medium through which the state connected with the rest of the country and the world.
Yadav appreciated Akashvani Kohima’s role in providing a platform for local voices, languages, music, traditions and issues of public importance. Broadcasting, he said, had a particularly important role in Nagaland because of the state’s terrain and dispersed settlements.
On language use in public administration, the governor said official communication should be precise, understandable and accessible. The progressive use of Hindi, he added, should support effective communication and better public service, while public institutions must remain sensitive to India’s multilingual character.
Yadav called for the spirit of Hindi Pakhwada to continue beyond the fortnight, urging people to promote Hindi while respecting English and other Indian languages.
He also encouraged young people to learn more than one language and called for greater efforts to preserve indigenous languages and the traditional knowledge embedded in them.
Linguistic diversity, he said, should not be seen as an obstacle to national unity but as one of its foundations.
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