Optional Course Hindi should continue at UMD,

1105B Jimenez Hall, College park, MD 20742-4800
(Attention: Carol Mossman, Director)

From: Concerned Citizens of U. S. A.

Reference: Hindi as an available optional course at the University of Maryland

Date: May 1, 2010

It was brought to our attention that the optional Hindi classes offered at the University of Maryland, College Park campus at least for the last 25 years are being dropped due to budgetary constraints whereas optional classes for several other languages will be continued to be offered. We humbly request MD University authorities not to drop the offering of optional Hindi languages courses for the following reasons:

(1) Hindi is the second most spoken language in the world and the official language of India, an emerging economy with over 1.2 billion people. If Americans and international students wish to do business with small businesses or trade with common man in India, then it is essential that they learn Hindi language - to speak, write, and comprehend 5000 year-old culture. In that context, making Hindi as an available optional course at all major universities including University of Maryland would make students more competitive and develop them as potential leaders. In this globalization arena, Hindi language has the potential of playing a very important role and is now gaining momentum and recognition that it so richly deserves.

(2) Before 1960, more people from France, Germany, and other European countries immigrated to the United States and demanded that their children be taught the languages of their parents. There was also more economic and cultural collaboration between United States and those European countries. At the present time, there are more Hindi speaking people living in the United States compared to French and German speaking community and it makes greater sense to make efforts to help teach Hindi as an elective language in American schools and colleges. A course on learning of Hindi language is now being offered as an optional in several high schools, colleges and universities across the United States. Some universities even have separate department of Hindi on their campuses. Several universities in many countries are not only offering Hindi courses, but actively promoting the learning of Hindi and have established departments and special chairs at the universities.

(3) United States and India have come closer in the last decade and economic and cultural collaborations between these two countries have also increased. Many jobs from Fortune 500 companies have been outsourced to India and the joint ventures in the field of information technology have virtually bonded these two largest democracies in the world. Further human resources and technology exchange are expected to continue for many decades to come. Many students from the American universities are visiting India for their internship and higher studies. So, learning Hindi will only help in cementing close bonds these two countries are forming. Regarding enhancing U.S.-India Cooperation on Education and Development, The White House Office of the Press Secretary, stated on November 24, 2009 that, In meeting the demands of a changing world economy, President Obama and Prime Minister Singh joined this week to recommit to cooperation on education and development. President Obama and Prime Minister Singh both have put education at the top of their national agendas. Today, they reaffirm that it is through cooperation on education and development that global challenges are met from food security to public health, from climate change to workforce development and womens empowerment.
http://www.whitehouse.gov/sites/default/files/Education_and_Development_Fact_Sheet.pdf

(4) Several local Universities of metropolitan Washington area, such as George Washington University, Georgetown University, George Mason University, etc. that do not have local offering of Hindi courses. They refer their students to go to the University of Maryland to take a Hindi course for credit at their own institutions. This promotes a collaborative environment and also fosters unity in diversity, international understanding and multilingualism, Launched as Obama-Singh 21st Century Knowledge Initiative to provide $10 million in combined funding to increase university linkages and support junior faculty development between U.S. and Indian universities.
Enhancing U.S.-India Cooperation on Education and Development
http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/fact-sheets-us-indian-cooperation

(5) Hindi is also a part of Indian culture and our children will be better able to know one of the oldest cultures in the world. In these times of globalization, we request you not to drop the offering of Hindi classes as option for students to take so that American students are well prepared to compete in globally competitive environment and better prepared to take up challenging assignment, especially in the Department of States and globally. (Ref: Edward Iwata, USA TODAY: http://www.usatoday.com/money/world/2006-06-20-india-immigrants-usat_x.htm