Strengthening India-Sri Lanka cultural and educational ties, General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University (KDU) in Colombo has launched a Hindi Language Learning Programme in partnership with the Swami Vivekananda Cultural Centre (SVCC), the cultural arm of the High Commission of India.
The programme was jointly inaugurated by Indian High Commissioner Santosh Jha and KDU Vice Chancellor Rear Admiral HGU Dammika Kumara in the presence of senior military officials, faculty, and students.
High Commissioner Jha highlighted that Hindi, spoken by over 600 million people globally, provides access to India’s literature, cinema, media, and professional opportunities. The Vice Chancellor emphasised the role of Bollywood and Hindi music in deepening cultural bonds between the two countries.
The course will be offered as an undergraduate elective, open to both military and civilian students, focusing on basic language skills, cultural context, and practical usage. Earlier this year, the Open University of Sri Lanka launched the country’s first-ever distance learning Hindi course in collaboration with SVCC.