World Hindi Day was celebrated on 10th January at the Indian Cultural Centre, Colombo with colourful cultural performances and holding a special conference on the subject "The influence of Hindi in Sri Lanka". Mr. P. Kumaran, Deputy High Commissioner of India was the Chief Guest. Prof. Indra Dassanayake, a well known Hindi literary personality and former Professor of Hindi, University of Kelaniya, Prof. Lakshman Senevirathna, well known Hindi Professor at University of Kelaniya and Mrs. Nilanthi Rajapakse, Hindi Lecturer at University of Jayewardenepura participated in the conference and made presentations on the Influence of Hindi in Sri Lanka as well as elucidated the emergence of Hindi as a world language.

Prof. Indra Dissanayake recalled her experiences while participating in the World Hindi Conference at Nagpur in 1975 where Mrs. Indira Gandhi, former Prime Minister of India announced the decision of making January 10 as a World Hindi Day. She underlined the need of teaching Hindi and providing accessibility to more books in Hindi in the field of humanities and culture in Sri Lanka as well as the necessity of more and more translation of literary works from Hindi to Sinhala. Prof. Lakshman Senevirathna illustrated the need of corrective measures to be taken while teaching Hindi to the Sri Lankan students giving examples from the phonetic systems of the both the languages. He also exemplified the errors that commonly occur to Sri Lankans while they speak Hindi. In his presentation he stressed the necessity of teaching Manak (standard) Hindi so that the standardization of Hindi as living language in various parts of the world can happen. Mrs. Nilanthi Rajapaksa illustrated the age-long cultural relationship of Sri Lanka with India and the development of teaching Hindi in Sri Lanka since 1965. She spoke about the influence of Hindi happened through the Bollywood films and music. She highlighted the need of commencing Post-graduate classes in Hindi in Sri Lankan Universities so that the relationship between the countries will become more cordial.

Mr. P. Kumaran, Deputy High Commissioner of India informed the audience that Language Lab will soon be operational at the Centre for use of students learning Hindi. The students of the Centre made presentations of Hindi songs, dances and skits. 297 students received certificates and prizes for their participation in the Hindi Examination conducted by Centre and for the competitions held as part of the Hindi Diwas 2012 from Birender Singh, Counsellor (Press, Information and Culture), High Commission of India. The Centre had conducted competitions such as poetry, essay, poetry recital and reading, Hindi speech and singing.

Assistant High Commission of India, Kandy organized an event at the Sabaragamuwa University, where Hindi is taught. The event was attended by Hon. Governor of the Province, several Provincial Council Ministers, officials and approx. 800 students. Department of Hindi, University of Kelaniya also organized screening of a Hindi documentary to mark the World Hindi Day.