The 9th World Hindi Conference, WHC will be held in South African city Johannesburg from 22 to 24 of September this year. The main theme of the conference is Bhasha Ki Asmita Aur Hindi Ka Vaishvik Sandarbh. An official release says that a Steering Committee headed by the Minister of State for External Affairs Mrs Preneet Kaur, has been constituted to deliberate on various aspects of the conference. An organizing committee has also been formed in South Africa headed by Indian High Commissioner Virendra Gupta for coordinate. Hindi Shiksha Sangh a voluntary Hindi organization in South Africa is the local partner for the conference. Nine academic sessions, cultural programmes and exhibitions on various aspects of Hindi including IT applications in the field of Hindi will be organised during the conference. An exhibition on the life and works of Mahatma Gandhi will also be shown.
Our correspondent adds that organisation of World Hindi Conferences began more than three decades ago when the 1st World Hindi Conference was held in Nagpur in January, 1975 under the aegis of Rashtrabhasha Prachar Samiti, Wardha. In all, eight World Hindi Conferences have been held so far in different countries including India, Mauritius,Trinidad and Tobago United Kingdom , Suriname and USA.

resident Pratibha Devisingh Patil today honoured 30 scholars for their outstanding contribution in the field of Hindi for 2008 and 2009. Noted writer and actor Gireesh Karnard and Film director and former Parliamentarian Shyam Benegel got Gangasharan Singh Award for 2008 in the field of Hindi campaign and training. Prime Minister's communication advisor Pankaj Pachauri and and Political Editor of Nai Dunia Vinod Agnihotri were selected for Ganesh Shankar Vidyarthi Award 2008 for their contribution in Hindi journalism. But both could not be present to received the award owing on tour with the Prime Minister. Professor Yashpal was also honoured with Atmaram Award for their outstanding countribution in the field of Science and Techonology literature in Hindi. Dr. Nand Kishore Acharya, Prof. Gopal Rai, Prof. Y L Prasad, Subhash Lakhera. Dr. N K Sehgal, Ajit Kumar, Prof. Harimohan, Prof. Lee Jung ho included in the list of persons who were honoured for their contribution to Hindi in different fields.