Odisha Governor Dr Hari Babu Kambhampati inaugurated the First International Official Language Annual Conference–Odisha 2026 on Friday, stressing that Hindi must evolve with time and connect with the aspirations of the younger generation.
He underlined the importance of transforming Hindi into a language of modern knowledge, technology, and innovation, ensuring its relevance for future generations while enriching India’s cultural and intellectual landscape.
The Governor was the chief guest at the conference held at the CSIR-Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (CSIR-IMMT) in Bhubaneswar. In his address, Dr Kambhampati said the development of Hindi is not the responsibility of the government alone. Universities, educational institutions, writers’ associations, journalists, technology experts, industry and society must work together to promote the language.
He described Hindi as a vital link connecting India’s diverse linguistic and cultural traditions, stressing that its growth must be based on cooperation and respect for all Indian languages. “We should not view Hindi as a substitute for any language, but as a powerful medium of communication, knowledge and national unity,” the Governor said.
Noting the growing interest in Hindi among many countries and the Indian diaspora, he underlined the responsibility to develop the language to meet future needs. He called for making quality content in science, medicine, law, economics, administration and higher education available in simple and authentic Hindi. Greater use of digital platforms, artificial intelligence, machine translation and other language technologies should also be encouraged, he added.
The Governor appreciated CSIR-IMMT’s initiatives to integrate Hindi into scientific and technical work, observing that such efforts demonstrate how language can serve as a medium for science, research, technology and innovation. He also highlighted the role of the youth in promoting Hindi through social media, digital education, employment, innovation and creative publishing.
Referring to Odisha’s rich cultural heritage, Dr Kambhampati said linguistic and literary exchanges between Odia and Hindi strengthen national unity and should be further encouraged.
On the occasion, Dr Bipin Kumar, Member of the Hindi Advisory Committee of the Ministries of Finance and Petroleum & Natural Gas, and Rakesh Kumar Yadav, Chief General Manager of SBI Local Head Office, Bhubaneswar, and Chairman of the Town Official Language Implementation Committee, Bhubaneswar (Banks), also spoke. Dr Ramanujam Narayan, Director of CSIR-IMMT and Chairman of the Town Official Language Implementation Committee, Bhubaneswar (Office-02), delivered the welcome address, while senior scientist Manoj Kumar proposed the vote of thanks.
Governor Reviews Research Initiatives at CSIR-IMMT:
Later, the Governor visited CSIR-IMMT and reviewed various research and technology demonstration projects. He toured the PGIM Pilot Plant, Mineral Processing Pilot Plant, Sustainable Recycling Centre, and the Technology Demonstration Plant for recovery of four metals from deep-sea polymetallic nodules.
Dr Bipin Kumar and CSIR-IMMT Director Dr Ramanujam Narayan were present during the visit. Senior officials and scientists briefed the Governor on the institute’s research and technology development activities, including mineral processing, sustainable recycling and recovery of valuable metals from deep-sea polymetallic nodules.
Dr Kambhampati appreciated the institute’s efforts to promote indigenous technology development and sustainable solutions in the mineral and materials sector. He congratulated the scientists, researchers and officers for their innovative work and contributions to national priority areas.
He also commended CSIR-IMMT for developing the country’s first indigenous pilot plant for processing bituminous coal fly ash and recovering value-added products at NALCO’s Research and Technology Centre (NRTC) in Bhubaneswar.
