New Delhi: On Saturday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi met with Dr. Tomio Mizokami, a famous Hindi and Punjabi linguist and recipient of the Padma Award, who is credited with fostering closer connections between India and Japan by tirelessly advancing Indian culture there.
The meeting took place concurrently with the summit of the Group of Seven (G7) advanced economies in Hiroshima, Japan.
In Hiroshima, I was glad to interact with Professor Tomio Mizokami. A Padma Awardee, he is a distinguished Hindi and Punjabi linguist. He has made numerous efforts to make Indian culture and literature popular among the people of Japan: PM Narendra Modi pic.twitter.com/0rydLEzXvD
— ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2023
Dr. Mizokami claimed that when asked about their conversation, he persuaded PM Modi to hold the next”Vishwa Hindi Sammelan” in Japan. “I was born in the Japanese city of Kobe, which at the time was predominately populated by Indians,” the professor stated when asked why he became interested in Hindi. “They had an impact on me. I was intrigued to learn”.
He also stated that he admired previous Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru. “During those times, he (Nehru) had a significant global influence….he, as one of the founders of the ‘Non-Aligned Movement’ (during the cold war period), was an inspiration for young people like us who desired peace and stability.” “So why not learn the language of such a leader?” he suggested.
#WATCH | Hiroshima, Japan | Renowned Japanese author, Hindi & Punjabi linguist, Padma Shri Dr. Tomio Mizokami speaks of his interaction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Hindi; also speaks Punjabi.
Dr Mizokami also explains how and why did he learn Hindi. pic.twitter.com/WreTu0ksCz
— ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2023
In 2018, Dr. Tomio Mizokami of Osaka University was awarded the prestigious ‘Padma Shri’ award for his contributions to Literature and Education. His award was given in recognition of his “unwavering service” in promoting Hindi and Indian culture. He was also awarded the ‘Hindi Ratna’ by the Uttar Pradesh government in 2001.
The 81-year-old author has spent his life studying, researching, and teaching Hindi in India and Japan (Osaka). In 1941, Mizokami was born. Following his graduation, he learned Hindi in Allahabad from 1965 to 1968. During this period, he also took Bengali lessons.
#WATCH | Hiroshima, Japan | Renowned Japanese author, Hindi & Punjabi linguist, Padma Shri Dr. Tomio Mizokami interacts with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Hindi. pic.twitter.com/6usH8lbIiR
— ANI (@ANI) May 20, 2023
Later that year, he went to Japan and began working as a research associate in the Hindi department at Osaka University. Mizokami also attended the University of Delhi (DU), where he earned a Masters degree in Hindi. In 1983, he received his Ph.D. in Hindi. He has about 301 prominent Hindi-language movie songs with Japanese subtitles translated.
In addition, he has campaigned to promote Indian languages in the United States. From 1989 to 1990, he was a visiting scholar at the University of Chicago and the University of California, where he taught Punjabi. He was named ‘Professor Emeritus’ of Osaka University of Foreign Studies at the age of 65. Mizokami got the ‘Vishwa Hindi Samman’ in London in 1999, among many other honours.