A Legacy for Hindi Education in USA

By Ashok Ojha, Hindi Sangam Foundation
Special article on the occasion of celebration of Hindi Day on January 13 at the Indian Consulate in New York

In the late Nineties and during the first decade of 21st century I worked in a publishing company dealing with readers reviews of newly published books. Those were the years of the onset of Internet age that was strengthening its grip on the electronic media. Print media was collapsing, readers were moving towards blogs, podcasts, newsletter and e-commerce.

I was among those feeling marginalized finding no option than to look for a new profession. The profession of teaching required face to face interaction with students in classroom. I came in contact with STARTALK program that proved to be an ideal system for teaching Hindi in the community using modern tools. The program offered teachers training opportunities at various universities. I was selected by the University of Pennsylvania teacher training program for this training. On the other hand, we needed to collaborate with local schools and colleges for developing quality program under STARTALK. With the support from open minded community leaders like Upendra Chivukula, who was a member of NJ Assembly, I was able to launch our first short term Hindi program in a public university in 2010. Since then I achieved a number of milestones in my journey to promoting Hindi learning and its use in the community.

A large number of language experts support and encourage me. A growing number of Indian-American parents have supported our program by sending their children to study Hindi during the summer vacation. Most of these supporters don’t speak Hindi but truly understand the importance of promoting its teaching in USA. We have the back and the ears of the Ministry of External Affairs, Government of India, whose officials have quietly extended their support to our programs.

With the help of our ever powerful community and successful professionals Hindi Sangam Foundation is moving towards fulfilling its mission to establish a K8 language school where Hindi will rule. Students will learn all subjects including Science and Math in Hindi up to the standards of six or eight after which English learning will be introduced. Research tells us that Bilingual students of immersion programs graduate from High School with top scores. They grow up as proud adults who reflect the values of their native culture and qualities of the education system of the adopted land, in our case, India and the USA. Such students make both cultures proud of themselves-America, where they grew up and their native culture from where their parents or grandparents came from.

(Ashok Ojha, President, Hindi Sangam Foundation, is a New Jersey based journalist and teacher.)

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