Hindi set to make debut in South China

Beijing: Hindi, one of the foreign languages gaining popularity in China, will be making its debut in South China as Guangdong University of Foreign Studies in Guangzhou is set to open a Hindi chair to teach the language. A Memorandum of Understanding for establishing a Hindi Chair at the Guangdong University of Foreign Studies (GDUFS), was signed on Monday between the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and the University. This is the first Hindi Chair established by the ICCR in South China. A number of Chinese universities including the prestigious Peking University, the Beijing Foreign Studies University as well colleges in different parts of China are teaching Hindi. Lecturers say the language is gaining currency in China as many see it as a career-making proposition in view of rapid increase in India-China trade which touched $ 74 billion last year and is expected to cross $ 100 billion by 2015. Hindi Day, being organised by the Indian Embassy in Beijing every year, attracts large number of Chinese Hindi enthusiasts from all over China. Also, Indian expats in Beijing had set up a Sunday school called Gurukul to teach Hindi and Indian culture. Headed by Lata Iyer, the school has four teachers which included Priya Sunderrajan, Manisha Bhakre, Krishna Dasgupta and Deepa Tulsidas. The MoU, was signed by Indra Mani Pandey, Consul-General of India in Guangzhou and Zhong Weihe, President of GDUFS, an Indian embassy press release here said. The ICCR has already established five chairs in China devoted to Hindi and spread of Indian culture including three chairs in Jinan University, Shenzhen University and Yunnan University in various fields of studies. 12 Jun 2012 http://ibnlive.in.com/news/hindi-set-to-make-debut-in-south-china/265557-61.html