Hindi Diwas 2026: Union Home Minister Amit Shah to address Official Language Conference in Mumbai on Sept 14

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will address the inaugural session of Hindi Diwas 2026 and the sixth All India Official Language Conference in Mumbai on Monday with the twoday programme set to highlight Hindis relationship with Maharashtras linguistic cultural and literary traditions reported the IANSMaharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis Deputy Chief Ministers Eknath Shinde and Sunetra Pawar Members of Parliament scholars litterateurs educationists and senior Central government officials are expected to attend the eventThe programme organised by the Department of Official Language under the Ministry of Home Affairs is being held in Maharashtra this year as part of a conference series that began in Varanasi in 2021 and subsequently travelled to Surat Pune New Delhi and GandhinagarDuring the inaugural session Shah will present the Rajbhasha Gaurav and Rajbhasha Kirti Awards for 202526 to institutions and individuals who have made notable contributions to the promotion and implementation of the Official LanguageSeveral books and publications are also scheduled to be launched during the conference These include a special issue of the departments journal Rajbhasha Bharati centred on the National Song Vande Mataram along with Bharatiya Gyan Tantra Srot aur Swaroop Shiv Anadi Hain Anant Hain and Andheron Se Ujalon Tak a compilation of writings by prison inmatesVande Mataram discussion heritage focusAccording to the IANS a special discussion on Vande Mataram will be among the key attractions of this years conference Joydeep Chattopadhyay a fifthgeneration descendant of Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay the author of Vande Mataram will also be presentAnother session will focus on Town Official Language Implementation Committees known as TOLICs or NARAKAS which work towards implementing Official Language Hindi at the grassroots levelA special exhibition will also be organised at the venue featuring stalls by institutions organisations banks and Central government ministriesShah pitches stronger Indian role in labgrown diamondsMeanwhile on Sunday Shah while speaking at the 52nd India Gem amp Jewellery Awards called for Indians to control the complete labgrown diamond ecosystem and build globally recognised Indian brandsIn terms of volume the market for labgrown diamonds is poised to expand to nearly 50 times the size of the current diamond market This represents a huge opportunity Shah said as per the IANSHe urged the industry to ensure that manufacturing machinery diamond production jewellerymaking branding and international retail remain firmly in Indian handsIt is my appeal to you that labgrown diamonds entire ecosystem should be in the control of people of Bharat It should be our jewellers who should be controlling it You can do it People of Surat and Mumbai have demonstrated it he saidShah said the Union government would introduce a policy for the sector while Gujarat and Maharashtra were also working on policiesGems and jewellery sector gets policy pushShah said India should become a founder member and founder industry in the labgrown diamond business and develop Indian brands with a global presenceHe said Indias gems and jewellery exports stood at Rs 244 lakh crore in 2025 accounting for 63 per cent of merchandise exports and providing direct or indirect employment to nearly 75 lakh peopleHe also highlighted the Bharat Ratnam mega common facility centre and the proposed India Jewellery Park in Maharashtra which is expected to attract Rs 50000 crore in investment and generate nearly one lakh direct and indirect jobsShah said policy measures free trade agreements and tax incentives for eligible rough diamond businesses would further support Indias ambition to emerge as a global gems and jewellery hubWith inputs from IANS