Three NRIs and a Nottingham-based organisation have been honoured by the Indian High Commission here for their outstanding work in promoting Hindi in the UK.

High Commissioner Jaimini Bhagwati presented them with shields, shawls and citations last evening in connection with World Hindi Day 2013.

The awardees are: Mahendra Kishore Verma of York University, Krishna Kumar, Chairman of Gitanjali Multilingual Literary Circle, Birmingham, Kavita Vachaknavi, internationally renowned blogger, and Kavya Rang, a Global Association of Poets, Writers, Nottingham, UK.

Mahendra Kishore Verma, who received the John Gilchrist UK Hindi Shikshan Samman, said that he was happy to receive the recognition.

Krishna Kumar, a graduate from IIT, Madras, made an impassioned plea for promoting Sanskrit, Hindi and regional languages in India.

“Otherwise the country will pay a heavy price in the years to come,” he cautioned.

He received the Dr Harivansh Rai Bachhan UK Hindi Literary award.

Kavita Vachaknavi, internationally renowned blogger who received the Acharya Mahavir Prasad Dwivedi Award for journalism, suggested that the High Commission should have a Web site in Hindi.

Jai Verma, Chair of the Kavya Rang, Nottingham, who received the Frederick Pincott UK award for dedication to Hindi Propagation, said that Hindi should not only be the “rashtrabhasha” in India but a recognised language at the United Nations.

Usha Verma and Krishna Kanhaiya received cash grants from the High Commissioner for their books “Sim Card tatha anya kahaniyan and Kitaab Jindagi Ki , respectively.

Speaking on the occasion, Bhagwati said that he was happy that “Hindi is being taught in the UK universities and Hindi is making rapid progress.”

He said personally he was in favour of the three-language formula.

Deputy High Commissioner Virendra Paul and Minister (Coordination) in the High Commission S.S. Sidhu were present at the award ceremony held at the India House.

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