An important event in the honor of Hindi language is taking place at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Washington DC, USA on April 12, 2008. In its continuing service to Hindi language for over quarter of a century, the International Hindi Association (IHA) is organizing its 14th Convention – Hindi Sammelan 2008. The theme of the conference is ‘Hindi in globalization age’ - to highlight the role of Hindi as an international language. Various dimensions, challenges and solutions will be discussed in different sessions drawing attention to importance of Hindi not only for individuals, but also for businesses, media, and the government. The following topics will be discussed in academic sessions: ‘Vishva Manch per Hindi: Disha evam Dasha’, ‘Vyavsaay Jagat mein Hindi’, ‘Pravasi Hindi Sahitya’, ‘America mein Hindi Shikshan’, ‘Internet per Hindi’, ‘Hindi Media - Vishleshan’, 'Hindi ka Shabda Rachnashastra'’ and ‘Ramcharit Manas aur Bhakti Sahitya – Aaj Ke Sandarbh Mein’. Ambassador Ronen Sen will be the chief guest, and the Embassy of India in Washington, DC will be collaborating for the event. Hindi scholars from US, Canada, UK, Spain, Norway, India, and other countries are expected to participate in the conference. Earlier IHA conventions were held in Dallas, Boston, New Jersey, Cleveland, Syracuse, Houston, Maryland, St. Louis, Washington DC, Nashville, and Virginia.
Simultaneously, the International Hindi Association is organizing its staple annual-Kavi-Sammelan. The 15-city marathon Kavi-Sammelan tour of the United States and Canada, consisting of Dallas, Houston, Cincinnati, Oklahoma City, Nashville, Raleigh, Washington DC, New Jersey, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Boston, New York, and Toronto, will run from March 27 to April 27, 2008 and will feature famous Indian poets Hasya-Vyang-Kavi Dr. Suresh Awasthi and Dr. Sunil Jogi, and Geetkar Mr. Gajender Solanki. Dr. Suresh Awasthi of Kanpur is a leading satirist in India who has entertained and awakened the conscience of millions of people with his humor containing a deep penetrating satire. Eleven books to his credit, Dr. Awasthi is a maestro of haasya-vyang. He is also a Hindi professor and a journalist. This is his first trip to the US. Dr. Sunil Jogi of Delhi is a young and talented Haasya Kavi who has achieved in few years what others dream of achieving in decades. A film songwriter, writer of 50 books, Dr. Jogi is a recognized star in India. This is also his first trip to the US as well. Mr. Gajender Solanki also of Delhi is a gifted artist, a former advisory member of the Indian Film Censor Board, and an Oj Kavi. His inspirational and patriotic poems glorify the nation, its soil and culture. Mr. Solanki’s forceful voice with an equally effective message leaves the audience spellbound willing to listen to him more. This is his third trip to the US.
To mark the occasion, IHA is publishing a beautiful souvenir commemorating the 15-city Kavi-Sammelan tour and the Convention. Also, a special collection of poetry recitals in audio CDs is being released. The International Hindi Association has been organizing these literary Symposiums and Kavi Sammelans in America almost every year, sometimes twice a year, for over quarter of a century now. IHA takes pride in offering emerging poets an international stage alongside established poets like Padmshri (late) Kaka Hathrasi, Hon. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Padmbhushan Neeraj, (late) Dr. Brijendra Awasthi, Dr Som Thakur, Hon. Uday Pratap Singh, Dr Ashok Chakradhar, Sh. Hullad Muradabadi, and Sh. Surendra Sharma in the past.
Founded in 1980 in the United States of America by the eminent Hindi scholar late Dr Kunwar Chandra Prakash Singh, the International Hindi Association is one of the most vibrant Hindi institutions in the world. It is a premier institution of Indian culture and studies in the United States. Its programs and activities focus on fostering the cultural heritage of India through promotion and propagation of Hindi and its literature among Indians abroad to ensure that future generations are not only able to speak Hindi with pride but can also learn and enjoy the reflections of Indian culture abundant in Hindi prose and poetry written through generations. The activities such as Hindi classes, youth camps, kavi sammelans, literary symposiums and publications promote and inculcate such human values inherent in the Indian culture. IHA publishes a widely acclaimed quarterly magazine Vishwa and an electronic magazine eVishwa, and produces a newly launched weekly radio magazine Kavitanjali broadcasted live from Dallas and simultaneously streamed on www.radiosalaamnamaste.com worldwide every Sunday evening. It also facilitates Hindi teaching at various levels around the United States. This non-religious, non-political and non-profit lingo-cultural organization is run entirely by volunteers with the support and patronage from its growing membership worldwide, and is managed by a constitutionally elected Board of Directors working through its local chapters spread throughout the United States. Further information can be obtained by visiting www.hindi.org, or by writing to info@hindi.org.