Desi Talk

www.desitalk.com – that’s all you need to know Hurdles Facing Teaching And Learning Of Hindi In The U.S. A mother language is part of one’s cultural heritage. Knowing it depends first and foremost on the desire in the parents of young children, according to Raj Mittal, Vice President and Treasurer of HindiUSA, the largest Hindi teach- ing organization in the U.S. Mittal was speaking to News India Times in continuation of a Zoom session of Sparsh Himalaya Festival 2025 which brainstormed on the spread of Hindi language and the hurdles faced in teaching Hindi abroad. Lack of desire in parents for their children to learn Hindi – Mittal spoke about the early experiences of founders Deven- dra and Rachita Singh who held free Hindi classes at a local temple. “The Singhs soon realized the 3-4 hours’ time was used by the parents to fin- ish their errands after dropping children off to the class, using the classes as a free babysitting service,” he said. “They were not really interested in having their chil- dren learn Hindi.” The Singhs overcame this hurdle by forming HindiUSA, which began holding classes in rented school classrooms with a serious educational environment for teaching and learning, using a structured curriculum, Mittal said. The first HindiUSA school was es- tablished in Edison, New Jersey, in 2005 with 50 enrollments, which sprang to 150 within a week, with parents and teach- ers volunteering. Today, HindiUSA has 18 schools in New Jersey and 3000 students from the US East Coast. There are 12 more schools across the U.S. According to Mittal, the organization also organizes an annual Hindi Mahotsava where it recognizes students, holds poetry and drama competitions to give children a platform to speak Hindi on stage and develop public speaking skills in Hindi. Senior students are taken on an educa- tional tour of India every year. HindiUSA also teaches Hindi to adults including entrepreneurs and executives who work for corporations or those who want to travel to India. “For them, Hin- diUSA uses a special expedited curricu- lum focusing more on communication, reading and speaking Hindi,” Mittal said. Lack of motivation in the children to learn Hindi – Since Hindi is not the moth- er language of every Indian American, and the desire to learn it may not exist in very young children. “It is for parents to make young chil- dren understand that a language is an introduction to a culture, that those who know Hindi will understand Indian cul- ture and its traditions,” Mittal said. They would not be able to correctly understand the message, the concept and the context of epics like the Mahabharat and the Gita in another language, he said. Devansh Malhotra, who has won Hindi essay writing competition organized by the Consulate General of India in New York, has relocated to the U.S. with his parents after spending the first 10 years of his life in India. Devansh has still enrolled in HindiUSA advanced classes and volun- teers at HindiUSA to teach younger students. Devansh had said in his earlier interview with News India Times that he wanted to learn proper Hindi to be able to speak to his grandparents and other rela- tives in India who only speak Hindi. Mittal said other HindiUSA students feel proud about learning Hindi, and display their Hindi skills whenever they get a chance, talking about the language and reciting po- ems at social gatherings. “They talk to people in Hindi and recite full poems in Hindi to their relatives when they visit India,” he said. Lack of proper textbooks and educational curriculum – HindiU- SA has been successfully teaching Hindi for the past twenty years, but has also faced the lack of standard Hindi teaching curriculum and textbooks. They had to create their own curriculums and text books which are more relevant in the environment in the US. “Hindi learning books from India are meant for native Hindi speakers, and not designed for children in the U.S. who have a limited exposure to Hindi language,” Mittal said. Mittal informed HindiUSA co-founder Rachita Singh has rewritten Hindi learn- ing books based on feedback from their teachers, making them current and up- dating them every 2 years. She has written 30 books for the 9 levels of their complete certificate course. “These books are used in 30 HindiUSA schools, plus 30 affiliated schools in the U.S. who use HindiUSA syllabus, books and exams,” Mittal said, adding they have had requests for the same from schools in India. By Archana Adalja PHOTO:HINDIUSA.ORG HINDIUSA students celebrating Diwali with singing. A First In City History: Mamta Singh Rises To Jersey City Council J ersey City voters made history this week, electing Mamta Singh as the first Indian American to hold public office in a city widely regarded as a corner- stone of the nation’s Indian diaspora. Singh secured an at-large City Council seat, a breakthrough that re- verberated throughout the city’s diverse neighborhoods. Her victory came on a pivotal night that also saw Councilmember James Solomon win the mayoral runoff with a reform-focused message. Yet for many of the thou- sands of Indian American families spread across Journal Square, Exchange Place and the bustling “Little India” district, Singh’s rise stood out as the evening’s defining moment. For decades, Indian Americans have been central to Jersey City’s cultural and economic growth, but represen- tation at City Hall had remained out of reach. Singh’s elec- tion brings long-awaited visibility to a community deeply integrated into the fabric of the city. Running on Solomon’s slate with Rolando Lavarro and Michael Griffin, Singh focused on stabilizing property taxes, expanding recreational opportunities for youth and strengthening support for working families. Her candidacy was powered by her extensive background in community service. Singh is the founder of JCFamilies, one of Jersey City’s most active networks for parents, children and women. She also established Indians in Jersey City, a group dedicated to cultural celebration and immigrant support. Through these efforts, she has become a trusted resource for residents navigating schools, services and the com- plexities of settling into a new city. Singh’s historic win — paired with Solomon’s decisive victory over former New Jersey Gov. JimMcGreevey — signals a broader shift in the city’s political landscape and a milestone moment for a community long waiting to see itself reflected in local leadership. PHOTO: MAMTA SINGH Mamta Singh Becomes First Indian American Elected in Jersey City, Marking Historic Shift. By a StaffWriter 10 CITY VIEWS December 12, 2025