UW-Madison Project Go

Hindi

Hindi students partake in cultural activities and language learning in their classes.
Hindi students partake in cultural activities and language learning in their classes.

Why learn Hindi? 

  • India is a rising superpower with a rapidly growing economy, and its geostrategic importance in Asia is increasing. Hindi is the most widely spoken language in India, so knowing it can help ROTC students to better understand Indian culture, politics, and society, as well as to communicate with Indian counterparts.
  • Hindi is also spoken in other countries such as Nepal, Mauritius, and Fiji, among others. Knowing Hindi can enhance the ability of ROTC students to operate effectively in these countries, and to build relationships and networks with local partners.
  • Hindi is one of the official languages of the United Nations, and India is a member of several important international organizations such as the World Trade Organization, the International Monetary Fund, and the World Health Organization. Knowing Hindi can facilitate participation in these organizations and help ROTC students to advance U.S. interests and values.
  • The U.S. military is increasingly engaged in joint exercises and operations with the Indian military, and Hindi language skills can be valuable in building trust, improving coordination, and enhancing interoperability between the two forces.
  • Finally, learning Hindi as a critical language can be a valuable asset for ROTC students in their future careers, whether in the military, government, business, or academia. It demonstrates their commitment to cultural competence, language proficiency, and global readiness, and can set them apart from their peers.

Elementary, Intermediate, and Advanced Hindi are offered through the South Asia Summer Language Institute (SASLI) via the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Classes meet in-person for up to four hours synchronously, Monday through Friday, typically from 8:30 am – 1:30 pm Central time over the span of 8 weeks. Various other activities and cultural events are scheduled throughout the summer, including weekly office hours with instructors, small group discussions, weekly conversation tables, meetings with Hindi language partners, cooking classes, a film and lecture series, local excursions, a Less Commonly Taught Languages (LCTL) Career Fair, Student Conference, and bi-weekly culture sessions geared towards increasing ROTC students’ intercultural mindset and developing valuable global leadership skills.

There are no language prerequisites for Year 1 Hindi.  Year 2 Hindi requires two semesters of prior language study and Year 3 Hindi requires four semesters of prior language study. All levels of Hindi are intensive and worth 8 college credits, covering two semesters of language study in one summer and focusing on speaking, listening, reading, and writing. By the end of the course, students should be proficient enough at speaking, listening, and reading to achieve ILR 1 or ILR 1+ depending on retention and prior language experience.  If you are wondering why you should study Hindi, click here.

Project GO at UW-Madison pays for: Tuition, course materials, travel to/from Madison, and room and board for all Project GO students. Please note that the room and board support is not intended to be comprehensive of all living costs a program participant may incur. The scholarship provides a meal stipend and single room occupancy in the UW-Madison residence halls. Any purchases a student wants to make outside of this will be the responsibility of the student’s.

The following costs will not be included in Project GO Funding: personal spending money, personal travel, costs for obtaining a passport, medication, and expenses for dependents.

How to Apply: Students interested in this program must complete two applications:

  1. Project GO common application (https://www.rotcprojectgo.org/apply-now)– application deadline is February 27, 2024.
  2. For students who receive and accept a Project GO offer to study Hindi at UW-Madison, the Project GO Coordinator will be in touch with next steps for enrolling at the South Asia Summer Language Institute (SASLI).

Please follow all application instructions carefully. For more information, please contact Project GO at UW-Madison staff at projectgo@lpo.wisc.edu or at 608-263-3724.