Chicago IL: Hindi Lovers Club celebrated, in grand style, Hindi Diwas, the birth anniversary of Hindi being declared the national language of India, under the patronage of Consul General of India, on Sunday, September 13, 2015 at Ashyana Banques in Downers Grove, Illinois. The program commenced with traditional lighting of lamp by OP Meena, Consul in the Consulate General of India and the Board Members of the Club. Vande Mataram was sung by Preetish Chakraborty, Indian National Anthem by Balodyan kids, and American National Anthem by Kiran. In attendance were over 350 guests.

OP Meena, who was the Chief Guest at the event, said that the demand for making Hindi as one of the official languages of the United Nations Organization is gaining momentum, at a fast pace, considering the staggering 457 millions Hindi speakers across the globe, including 337 millions in India.

Meena said that Hindi has been the most popular language among Indian immigrants in different parts of the world while at the same time it has emerged as the acceptable link language in India with 70 to 80 percent of the Indian population speaking or understanding it. He underlined the importance of Hindi in preserving the culture, identity, and unity among Indians, irrespective of the region to which they belong.