The Ministry of Home Affairs is organizing the 6th All India Official Language Conference in conjunction with Hindi Diwas 2026 in Mumbai on September 14. Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Shri Amit Shah will address the inaugural session, with attendance from the Chief Minister of Maharashtra, both Deputy Chief Ministers, Members of Parliament, scholars, litterateurs, educationists, and senior officials from various central government departments.
During the inaugural session, the Union Home Minister will present the Rajbhasha Gaurav and Rajbhasha Kirti awards for the year 2025–26 to institutions and individuals who have made noteworthy contributions in the field of Official Language. The Department of Official Language under MHA has been organizing these conferences annually since 2021, with previous editions held in Varanasi, Surat, Pune, New Delhi, and Gandhinagar.
Several publications will be launched during the conference, including a special commemorative issue of the department's journal 'Rajbhasha Bharati' focused 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 inmates.
A special discussion session will focus on the historical, literary, and cultural aspects of 'Vande Mataram', featuring playback singer Shri Hariharan, journalist Shri Nilesh Mishra, and researcher Shri Akhilesh Mishra. Researcher Shri Milind Prabhakar Sabnis will shed light on the song's historical significance, while Shri Joydeep Chattopadhyay, a fifth-generation descendant of author Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay, will lend historical and emotional significance to the event.
The conference will include a special session on the role of Town Official Language Implementation Committees (TOLICs/NARAKAS), which are grassroots units for Official Language implementation, with outstanding NARAKAS being honored. On September 15, renowned lyricist Shri Manoj Muntashir will share thoughts on patriotism and love for the nation, followed by a cultural programme organized by the Government of Maharashtra showcasing the state's artistic traditions.
A special exhibition featuring 32 stalls from various institutions, organizations, banks, and ministries—including two special stalls from the Government of Maharashtra and stalls from the Department of Official Language and Publications Division—will display work, publications, initiatives, and achievements related to Hindi and Indian languages.
The two-day conference will deliberate on various subjects including the development of Hindi as Official Language, its coordination with Indian languages, technology and language, translation, literature, and wider dissemination of Hindi. The event references Constitutional Articles 343 (establishing Hindi in Devanagari script as Official Language) and 351 (placing responsibility for Hindi's promotion on the Union), with the conference aimed at strengthening coordination, dialogue, and partnership among all Indian languages along with Hindi.