Indian American officials urge Biden to set up Hindi language fund

Indian American Impact and The Asia Society back request for fund to teach Hindi in American middle and high schools

Seventeen Indian-American state and local elected officials have urged President Joe Biden to establish a new Hindi language fund through the Asia Society to teach Hindi in American middle and high schools.

The officials made the request in a letter to Biden Thursday during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ongoing official state visit to the United States.

“Although there’s a strategic argument for such funding, we believe there’s an even stronger economic argument for investing in teaching Hindi in American schools,” they wrote, according to a media release.

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The letter cites a recent Standard & Poor Global forecast that India would surpass Japan and Germany as the third largest economy in the world by the end of the decade.

The officials argue that American foreign language offerings in American schools do not match the rapidly growing and evolving global economy.

“We believe a joint New Hindi Language Fund to teach Hindi in American schools would accelerate the need to address this mismatch where the federal government has failed to provide foreign language support in these growing foreign markets,” the officials wrote.

“Today, we have just 19 Hindi foreign language programs in our high schools across the country, even though the Indian economy will surpass $7.5 trillion in 2031,” said North Carolina State Senate Minority Whip Jay J. Chaudhuri, who led the effort to establish a joint language fund.

“Just as France’s President Macron did with his most recent initiative to provide more access to French during his official visit last December, we should do the same with Hindi,” the letter stated.

In December, French President Emmanuel Macron announced a new initiative to support access to French language instruction across the United States, including the French Dual Language Fund, a program that expands and supports K-12 programs in Title I schools, and the New Pathways to Teaching French Programs, a program that targets the shortage of foreign language instructors in American Schools.

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The latter program creatively leverages the skills of French-speaking Americans of all backgrounds by offering scholarships to train these new French teachers.

The request has the support from both Indian American Impact, a leading community organization, and the Asia Society, a national organization whose purpose is to navigate shared futures for Asia and the world across policy, arts and culture, education, sustainability, business, and technology, according to the release.

Indian American Impact president Neil Makhija said, “Indian American Impact strongly supports a joint New Hindi Language Fund to teach Hindi, the third most spoken language, in American middle schools and high schools.”

“This essential and strategic initiative would strengthen the relationship between the United States and India, enhancing the long-term economic prospects of both countries and foster greater inclusion and understanding of the rapidly growing Indian-Amerian community.”

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Neelam Chowdhury, Vice President of Education for The Asia Society, said, “As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, the importance of Hindi cannot be overstated. “

“It opens doors to a rich tapestry of literature, history, and traditions, while also facilitating business and diplomatic endeavors. By embracing Hindi, American students can bridge the gap between cultures, promote global harmony, and embark on a journey of personal growth and intellectual enrichment.”