Silver Jubilee of the Hindi Pracharini Sabha
From Our Archives: A Glimpse into 1960
By J. N. Roy
The Hindi Pracharini Sabha will be celebrating its Silver Jubilee on Friday the 23rd, Saturday the 24th, and Sunday the 26th of December. The name of the society translates to the “Society for the Diffusion of the Hindi Language.” It was founded at Long Mountain a quarter of a century ago to promote grammatical Hindi among the Hindu community.
The late Geeredharry Bhuguth donated the majority of his property to the society, comprising a shop and approximately ten acres of land. In 1945, the society successfully constructed a superb concrete building to serve as its headquarters. This site houses both a secondary school and the Nemnarain Gupta Library, named after the society’s first inspector and devoted worker.
Other lands were donated by Mr Lutchman Dabydeen of Creve Coeur and Mr Bissoon in Glen Park, both of which now host concrete school buildings. Additionally, the enthusiastic members of our Rivière des Anguilles branch have erected a beautiful new building following the demolition of the old structure by Cyclone Carol. The total assets of the Sabha are currently estimated to be over Rs 150,000.
The organization’s scope is reflected in its five sub-committees: Education, Art and Music, Library, Property, and Reception. The society maintains a panel of 33 examiners who conduct inspections and examinations to ensure standardized patterns across the 101 affiliated primary and secondary schools. These highly qualified examiners serve all districts on a voluntary basis; notably, the society does not charge fees for inspections, examinations, or the issuance of certificates.
The society also conducts external examinations for secondary classes. These papers are provided by India’s premier literary association, the Hindi Sahitya Sammelan, also known as the Hindi University of India. Each year, the society awards handsome prizes to top-ranking candidates. To date, approximately 700 young men and women have passed these examinations. Most of those qualified as Hindi teachers in government schools are products of our society, helping to diffuse the language within their respective localities. Some groups conduct secondary classes, one publishes a literary periodical, and another collaborated on government school textbooks—activities initiated at the instance of the late Mr. S. Jugduth.
The society remains non-religious and non-sectional. Its annual anniversary, held on the last Sunday of the year, is generally presided over by an individual of literary merit who delivers an address on educational problems. The Committee meets regularly on the first Friday of each month, late in the evening, at the home of a committee member.
From its humble beginnings, the Hindi Pracharini Sabha has, through quiet, consistent, and effective work, risen to become one of the front-rank cultural associations among the Hindus.
7th Year – No 330
Friday 23th December, 1960
Mauritius Times ePaper Friday 20 March 2026
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