HUMAS USU - Universitas Sumatera Utara (USU) collaborated with the Consulate General of India in Medan to organize the World Hindi Day celebration.  This event is important in strengthening cultural and educational relations between Indonesia and India. The celebration occurred at the USU Faculty of Cultural Sciences (FIB) Hall on Friday (10/01/2025).

USU's Vice Chancellor III for Research, Community Service, and Cooperation, Prof. Dr. Poppy Anjelisa Zaitun Hasibuan, S.Si., M.Si., Apt., revealed that this activity is a form of significant collaboration between the two countries. In addition, this is the first time World Hindi Day has been held at USU, especially at FIB USU.

“This event supports the preservation of each country's culture. We also hope to expand cooperation between universities in India and the Universitas Sumatera Utara, including language learning exchanges,” he explained.

The Dean of FIB USU, Prof. Dr. Dra. T. Thyrhaya Zein, M.A., expressed his pride that FIB USU was chosen to host the World Hindi Day celebration. According to her, this event strengthens friendly relations between Indonesia and India. He also considers this activity a great opportunity to develop international collaboration, especially in the fields of education and culture.

“This event not only highlights the importance of Hindi in the world but also strengthens the friendship between Indonesia and India,” said Prof. Thyrhaya.

In line with that, the Consul General of India in Medan, Ravi Shankar Goel, expressed his appreciation to USU for the cooperation that has been established. He also announced several cooperation plans, such as the possibility of opening a Hindi language course, establishing an “India Corner” at USU, and offering education scholarships to India for USU students.

“Hindi is one of the most widely spoken languages in the world, with more than 600 million speakers. Hindi Day is not just about language, but also about understanding each other's cultures,” he said.

During the event, Ravi Shankar Goel also mentioned that the Indian government supports educational and cultural initiatives involving USU, including opportunities to bring professors from India through the ICCR (Indian Council for Cultural Relations) Chair program and other academic exchanges.

“We are also in the process of appointing a professor from India who will share his knowledge with the USU academic community,” he added.

The event was enlivened with various cultural performances, including traditional dances, Bollywood music, poetry readings, and speeches in Hindi. World Hindi Day, first celebrated in 1974, is an occasion to celebrate linguistic diversity and strengthen ties between international communities.