The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances has received the ‘Rajbhasha Utkrishtata Sammaan’ award from the Ministry of Home Affairs for its work in promoting Hindi as the official language of government. The award was presented by Union Home Minister Amit Shah on September 14, 2026, during the 6th All India Official Language Conference in Navi Mumbai. This special recognition honours the department’s consistent performance in implementing official language policy across its operations.
The Award and Recognition
The Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances secured the ‘Rajbhasha Utkrishtata Sammaan’ in recognition of sustained excellence in official language implementation. The award was conferred upon Smt. Nivedita Shukla Verma, Secretary of the department, at a ceremony held during Hindi Diwas celebrations.
This is a special honour given to the department because of an unusual circumstance. The department had already won the Rajbhasha Kirti Puraskar (First Prize) in two consecutive years—2023–24 and 2024–25. Under normal rules, a ministry or department cannot receive the first prize again in the following year. However, because the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances has demonstrated outstanding and continuous work in official language promotion over several years, it has been granted this special ‘Rajbhasha Utkrishtata Sammaan’ award instead.
The department had again secured the first position this year in official language implementation assessments, making it eligible for recognition under the special award category.
What This Means for You
This award signals that government offices are increasingly conducting their business in Hindi alongside English, affecting how citizens interact with administrative departments. If you file applications or grievances with government departments, you may find Hindi language options becoming more available and standard. The recognition encourages other ministries and departments to similarly improve their Hindi language services, potentially making government communication more accessible to Hindi-speaking citizens across India.