PM announces grant to promote Hindi in China

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh announces a grant of Rs 75 lakh to the Institute of Indian Studies at the prestigious Peking University in Beijing.

Impressed by the enthusiasm shown by Chinese youngsters to learn Hindi, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday announced a grant of Rs 75 lakh to the Institute of Indian Studies at the prestigious Peking University in Beijing.

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Singh conveyed this decision when he met the institute's head Dr Jiang Jainkui earlier on Sunday. An Indian official said the Prime Minister exchanged pleasantries with the Chinese professor in Hindi.

The Institute of Indian Studies has been active for a long time in promoting Indian culture and Hindi language among Chinese people.

The students had expressed disappointment that the prime minister would not be meeting them during his three-day visit to the country which began on Sunday.

Despite his busy schedule, Singh decided to meet Jiang soon after visiting the proposed site of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.