The Indian Embassy in Ashgabat hosted a celebratory event to mark Hindi Day. Guests were treated to an official programme, musical and dance performances, as well as dishes from traditional Indian cuisine. This was reported by the news website Turkmenportal.

As Bandaru Wilsonbabu, the Indian Ambassador to Turkmenistan, pointed out, Hindi Day is celebrated annually on 14 September to mark the adoption of Hindi as India’s official language in 1949. According to him, Hindi is spoken by over 600 million people, making it the third most widely spoken language in the world — not merely a language, but a means of expressing Indian culture.

The diplomat noted that Hindi, being related to other languages of India, serves as a bridge between speakers of local languages across the country, and is also known for its simplicity and rich literary traditions. Wilsonbabu reported that over 40 students are studying Hindi at the Azadi Institute of World Languages in Ashgabat, some of whom have undergone language training at the Kendriya Hindi Sansthan Institute in Agra. The Embassy will continue to cooperate with the Government of Turkmenistan on matters relating to language learning.

The Ambassador emphasised that India, as a partner among the developing countries of the ‘Wider Neighbourhood’, would continue to share its development experience, taking into account Turkmenistan’s needs and priorities, and expressed confidence in the strengthening of the partnership between the two countries.

Myahri Byashimova, Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister of Turkmenistan, stated that, against the backdrop of the emerging new architecture of international relations, mutual respect, trust, good-neighbourliness and constructive dialogue are particularly essential — it is precisely these principles, she said, that underpin the development of relations between Turkmenistan and India.

The Deputy Minister expressed her confidence in the further strengthening of friendly ties between the two countries and wished the Indian people peace, stability and prosperity. She noted that India possesses a rich historical and cultural heritage and is a dynamically developing nation with significant economic, scientific, technological and human potential.

Byashimova emphasised that Turkmenistan and India are linked by traditionally friendly and mutually respectful relations, based on mutual trust and equality, and highlighted the important role of cultural and humanitarian cooperation in strengthening the friendship between the peoples of the two countries.