Ekta Rawat On Hello Hindi, Language Identity, And Real-Life Hindi Learning

Ekta Rawat is the founder of Hello Hindi, a language learning platform focused on teaching practical, real-life Hindi to global learners. With a background in marketing and formal study in Hindi language and literature, she designs personalized, culturally grounded lessons. Her work supports diaspora families, intercultural couples, and non-native speakers seeking meaningful communication, identity connection, and confidence through immersive, conversational learning.

Scott Douglas Jacobsen interviews Ekta Rawat, founder of Hello Hindi, about teaching practical Hindi through structured, culturally grounded learning. Rawat explains how Hello Hindi supports diaspora families, intercultural couples, and global learners seeking confidence beyond textbook grammar. She discusses regional nuance, “pure Hindi” pressures, conversational milestones, immersion, personalized lessons, and the emotional role of language in belonging, identity, family connection, and real communication across changing cultural contexts for learners navigating heritage and everyday speech needs.

Scott Douglas Jacobsen: You founded Hello Hindi. Why did you found it, and what needs does it serve in terms of language as identity, cultural connection, and structured learning?

Ekta Rawat: The reason I founded Hello Hindi was that my first exposure to people who did not speak Hindi fluently happened in India itself. Many people in southern India do not speak Hindi as their first language. When they tried to learn spoken Hindi, the available resources were often not very user-friendly.

Many Hindi-learning resources were dry, heavily focused on grammar, or assumed that the learner already knew Devanagari or had some basic knowledge of Hindi. For an absolute beginner, especially someone approaching Hindi as a second language, it could be very difficult to learn how to communicate. It is also challenging for someone who wants to speak, because there is often a gap between textbook Hindi and the Hindi used in everyday conversations.

That is why I founded Hello Hindi. The platform teaches practical, real-life Hindi, the kind of Hindi people are likely to use in daily situations. I work with people who want to learn Hindi to connect with their roots. There is a large Indian diaspora around the world, and some second-generation Indians grow up with limited exposure to Hindi. At some point, they or their families may feel that disconnect. Parents, in particular, often notice it when their children cannot communicate easily with grandparents. For them, learning Hindi can become a way to maintain family and cultural connections.

There are also people who marry into Indian families, and not knowing the language can make them feel excluded in family settings. If they can at least have basic conversations with immediate relatives, it can make a meaningful difference. Many Hindi speakers are also encouraging when learners speak imperfect Hindi, which helps make the process less intimidating.

When it comes to women, the issue can become even more significant. In some families, there is an expectation that mothers will help pass on the language to their children. If the mother does not speak Hindi, there may be concern that the children will not learn it or will lose part of their connection to the family’s culture.

Many of my students, especially those in intercultural relationships, are women. For example, I have worked with an Indian woman who wanted to learn Hindi because she wanted her children to be able to speak it. In this way, language is tied to identity. It is tied to the sense of belonging people feel with their family, or with a new family they are becoming part of.

Jacobsen: For women who face these expectations around language, how does that shape the Hindi they speak and write? Do you incorporate that nuance into the structured methodology of Hello Hindi?

Rawat: Yes, I do. The additional expectation is that when you are learning to speak, not to pass an exam, cultural nuances become very important. I am not just teaching vocabulary and sentence structure; I also incorporate cultural context.

For example, Hindi involves many grammatical distinctions tied to respect, especially toward elders. There are also significant regional variations in how Hindi is spoken across India. I always ask students which part of the country they or their partner are from, and I expose them more to that particular variety of Hindi.

I introduce these cultural nuances from the beginning through sessions, conversation exercises, video clips, and even memes. These help learners understand the language as it is actually spoken and consumed.

Another important aspect is helping students let go of the pressure to speak “pure Hindi.” In reality, no one in India consistently speaks what is often idealized as pure Hindi. I make it clear how people actually speak and what learners are likely to encounter in real conversations. There are many cases where textbook grammar differs from everyday usage.

For instance, a sentence that begins with aap (a sentence that begins with aap is traditionally expected to follow certain grammatical rules, but in practice, people may use variations) is traditionally expected to follow certain grammatical rules, but in practice, people may use variations. Similarly, the word hum, which means “we,” is used in some regions in place of “I.” These nuances are part of the language, and I incorporate them into teaching.

At the same time, this does not mean the learning process should feel chaotic. Students do not need to feel lost because of linguistic diversity. I have developed a structured curriculum, a step-by-step journey from beginner to advanced levels.

Before starting, I outline what students will achieve within the first 30 sessions. Each lesson is tied to a communication milestone. For example, after one lesson, a student may be able to introduce their family in Hindi; after another, they may be able to handle basic shopping situations in India.

While I teach grammar, such as indirect sentence structures, the primary focus remains on communication goals. I also conduct evaluations after each stage. Some students are unsure of their progress, but after completing an evaluation and seeing their results, they gain clarity about their abilities.

I provide exercise sheets after each step so students can practice and immerse themselves before moving forward. This gives them a clear sense of how much time they have invested and what they have achieved at each stage.

That clarity helps with commitment. Language learning does not happen in a day or even a month. It requires sustained effort. A structured path allows students to understand their progress and commit to the next phase without feeling overwhelmed.

All of this is done without compromising the essence of the language and without placing unnecessary pressure on learners to use only highly formal or only Tatsam or Sanskrit-derived Hindi.

Jacobsen: Some European languages are taught without structured frameworks, except perhaps through mobile apps. Even then, they may not account for subtle cultural nuances. Do you see the future of language learning as combining structured methodology with cultural and contemporary nuances? Could that be the more effective way to teach languages?

Rawat: Just so I understand your question properly, are you referring to the various applications or resources available for learning a language, and to what extent they incorporate cultural nuances, as well as how that might evolve in the future? Is that what you are asking?

Jacobsen: Yes. When I was in high school, I switched from French to Spanish. I do not remember much of either language, they did not really stick. From what I recall, Spanish classes in Canada were very structured: vocabulary, counting, readings, and so on. But the examples were quite dry.

Cultures evolve, and contemporary culture, even at the time, may not be reflected in what reaches a high school classroom. So do you see your approach to teaching, which incorporates up-to-date cultural nuance, as the future of language education?

Rawat: If I understand correctly, you are asking whether I take into account that culture and language are not static, they continue to evolve, and how that shapes my teaching and its future.

In my approach, I first provide a foundation in grammar. But the real development comes through speaking and conversation. I am very clear that students must continue speaking outside the sessions. For example, if you had continued speaking Spanish after high school, if you had used it regularly as a communication tool, it would likely have stayed with you. Language grows with you through use.

My sessions are not fixed or rigid. I provide structure and grammar in each session, but immersion is central at every step. Students engage in immersion during lessons and between stages of learning.

Because my students are learning to speak, I also include exercises that gradually make them comfortable using Hindi in real-life situations. For example, if a child is learning Hindi to speak with their mother, or if someone is learning because their partner is Indian, I design homework activities that encourage them to start speaking with those people. It can feel awkward at first, so this gradual exposure helps.

Once students begin communicating with native speakers, they are no longer dependent on me to keep up with cultural changes. They start adapting naturally as the language evolves.

As for my curriculum, it is not static. Even while conducting sessions, I often refine or adjust material based on what I observe. I may change something for the next student based on a realization during a session. All my sessions are highly personalized.

Could this approach evolve further, perhaps incorporating adaptive systems like artificial intelligence? I have not implemented that yet, but it is certainly a possibility for the future. I hope that answers your question.

Jacobsen: What is the biggest milestone for many students when their Hindi reaches a level where it “clicks”? At what point can they function comfortably in everyday situations, basic services, intermediate interactions, casual conversation? What is that milestone, and what does the timeline look like within your teaching structure?

Rawat: The six milestones are structured as six steps, each defined by communication goals. Each session contributes to a communication milestone. But from a learner’s perspective, there are key moments when they truly feel they have achieved something in their journey.

I think there are two especially important moments when students feel confident that they can speak Hindi. The first is when they have their first full conversation in class. The second is when they have their first real conversation outside the classroom.

I have had students share these experiences with me. For example, one student in Australia, a Vietnamese woman with many Indian friends, told me about her first real interaction. She had been having longer conversations with me during lessons, but one day she spoke with someone selling Indian snacks. That short exchange gave her a strong sense of confidence. She realized, “I can speak, and I am understood.”

The first level of confidence usually comes during a role-play activity in class. This typically happens in the beginner stage, around the fourth or fifth session. At that point, students are no longer filling in blanks or matching sentences. They are having a continuous conversation with me in Hindi. That is when they begin to think in the language and apply what they have learned to form sentences on their own.

The second milestone, speaking with a native speaker, is even more powerful. I actively encourage my students to reach that point as early as possible.

As for the timeline from beginner to advanced, it would not be accurate to define it strictly in terms of time, because it depends heavily on how much effort the student invests both during and outside of sessions. However, if I am to give a general estimate, reaching a level where a student can function independently after guided learning typically takes at least one and a half years.

Jacobsen: Thank you very much for your time today, Ekta.

—

Scott Douglas Jacobsen is a Writer-Editor for The Good Men Project with more than 1,900 publications on the platform. He is the Founder and Publisher of In-Sight Publishing (ISBN: 978-1-0692343; 978-1-0673505) and Editor-in-Chief of In-Sight: Interviews (ISSN: 2369-6885). He writes for International Policy Digest (ISSN: 2332–9416), The Humanist (Print: ISSN, 0018-7399; Online: ISSN, 2163-3576), Basic Income Earth Network (UK Registered Charity 1177066), Humanist Perspectives (ISSN: 1719-6337), A Further Inquiry (SubStack), Vocal, Medium, The New Enlightenment Project, The Washington Outsider, rabble.ca, and other media. His bibliography index can be found via the Jacobsen Bank at In-Sight Publishing comprised of more than 10,000 articles, interviews, and republications, in more than 200 outlets. He has served in national and international leadership roles within humanist and media organizations, held several academic fellowships, and currently serves on several boards. He is a member in good standing in numerous media organizations, including the Canadian Association of Journalists, PEN Canada (CRA: 88916 2541 RR0001), and Reporters Without Borders (SIREN: 343 684 221/SIRET: 343 684 221 00041/EIN: 20-0708028), and others.