Agartala, February 19, 2026: Union Minister for Home Affairs Amit Shah is set to inaugurate the Joint Regional Official Language Conference of the Eastern, Northeastern and Northern Regions at the Indoor Exhibition Hall of Hapania International Fair Ground in Agartala on Friday. More than 3,000 officials and representatives from these regions are expected to participate in the event.

The announcement was made by Anshuli Arya, Secretary, Department of Official Language, under the Ministry of Home Affairs, during a press conference held at ‘Sonar Tori’ State Guest House in Agartala on Thursday. The conference aims to further strengthen the implementation of the Official Language Policy and promote the progressive use of Hindi in official functioning.

Addressing the media personnel ahead of the conference, Secretary Arya said, “According to the Constitution, Hindi in Devanagari script is the official language of the Union. The Department of Official Language has been continuously working since its establishment on June 26, 1975, to effectively implement the constitutional provisions related to the official language and to promote the progressive use of Hindi in the official functioning of the Union.”

She informed that the Department organizes four regional official language conferences every financial year. “This is the second joint regional conference of the financial year 2025–26. Such joint conferences encourage interaction, exchange of experiences, and sharing of best practices among official language officers from different regions,” she added.

Highlighting the administrative framework, Arya said that for effective implementation of the Official Language Policy, the country has been divided into Regions ‘A’, ‘B’, and ‘C’, and Town Official Language Implementation Committees along with eight Regional Implementation Offices are actively functioning under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

The conference will witness participation from representatives of the Eastern Region (West Bengal, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand), the Northeastern Region (Assam, Tripura, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Sikkim), and the Northern Region, along with senior officials from central government offices, banks, and undertakings.

The conference will be inaugurated on February 20, 2026 at 2 pm by the Union Minister for Home Affairs and Cooperation Amit Shah. On this occasion, 80 awards will be presented to central government offices, banks, undertakings, and City Official Language Implementation Committees for outstanding performance, including the prestigious “Narakas Rajbhasha Samman”.

Arya further stated that the inaugural session will also see the release of the North-East Special Issue of Rajbhasha Bharati, along with books titled “Indian Languages and the Official Language Hindi – Timeless Works” and “Amritvani – Timeless Inspiring Verses of Sanskrit”. “Through book publication, we aim to connect the new generation with India’s rich linguistic heritage and highlight the deep relationship between Hindi and other Indian languages,” she said.

Referring to innovative initiatives, she noted that “Bharati – Multilingual Translation Charioteer” has been developed in line with the vision of Hon’ble Prime Minister Narendra Modi to bridge linguistic gaps between Hindi and other Indian languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

Exhibition stalls by banks, literary institutions, and other organizations will also be set up at the venue. A special yoga session for officers will be held today from 4 pm to 5 pm at the International Indoor Exhibition Centre, Hapania, to promote a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

Concluding her address, Arya said, “Hindi, Sanskrit, and the literature of all Indian languages are invaluable symbols of our cultural heritage. Our collective objective is to move forward with an inclusive and coordinated cultural vision. I request all concerned to participate actively and cooperate in fulfilling our constitutional responsibility towards the Official Language Policy.”

Nidhi Pandey, Joint Secretary of the Department of Official Language, Ministry of Home Affairs, Dr. Pradeep Kumar Chakraborty, Secretary of the ICA Department, Government of Tripura along with other higher officials were also present.