New Delhi [India], January 23: A quiet revolution in language and identity has been taking shape in Scotland, and at the heart of it stands Mrs Poonam Prajapati. Over the past few years, she has worked tirelessly to ensure that Hindi, India’s national language, is not just remembered, but lived and loved by the Indian diaspora’s children growing up thousands of miles from their ancestral home. Today, more than 1,000 youngsters across Scotland have learnt, or are learning, Hindi through Indo‑Scot Hindi Connect, the community initiative she leads with rare dedication.
For families settled in cities like Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen, Mrs Prajapati’s classes have become a bridge back to grandparents, cousins and stories in India.
Parents speak of children who can now read simple Hindi texts, converse with relatives on video calls and recite poetry and prayers with confidence, something many feared would be lost in a busy, English-speaking environment.
Indo‑Scot Hindi Connect began as a modest effort, but has grown into an organised charitable initiative offering structured Hindi teaching and cultural activities across Scotland.
Working with volunteers and teachers, Mrs Prajapati and her team run weekend classes, holiday workshops and celebration events around occasions such as Hindi Diwas celebrated at Indian Consulate, Edinburgh and Indian festivals, drawing enthusiastic participation from children and parents alike.
A key reason for this success has been the way Indo‑Scot Hindi Connect works hand‑in‑hand with local institutions. In Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen, Scottish Hindu temples have opened their doors for classes and cultural gatherings, providing space, support and a sense of spiritual belonging to the youngsters. Mrs Prajapati thanks Surekha Chophla Ji as a guiding force, the Chair and a Trustee, of the UK Hindi Samiti, a UK-based charity promoting the Hindi language and Indian culture.
Mrs Prajapati is quick to credit these temples, the Consulate General of India in Edinburgh and a wide network of Indian community groups and interfaith leaders for standing behind the initiative and helping it to flourish as a truly intercultural effort.
Behind every event and every exam certificate is a small army of well-wishers who have walked alongside Mrs Prajapati. She has expressed special gratitude to Mukta Rani, Samir Desai, Shweta Joshi, Andrew Lal and famed astrologer and community guiding force Acharya Abhishek Joshi ji, whose consistent encouragement and cooperation have helped Indo‑Scot Hindi Connect grow year after year.
Their support, along with that of countless volunteers and parents, has ensured that the movement to preserve Hindi is rooted not in nostalgia alone, but in a confident, forward-looking Scottish‑Indian identity.
At recent gatherings, rows of children in colourful traditional outfits have proudly held placards bearing the names of Indian states, recited in clear Hindi and sung patriotic songs – a vivid reminder that language is far more than a classroom subject.
For Mrs Prajapati, each smiling face is proof that Indo‑Scot Hindi Connect is doing more than teaching grammar; it is nurturing pride, belonging and a living connection between Scotland and India that the next generation can carry into the future.
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