Founded in 1918 by Mahatma Gandhi, the Dakshin Bharat Hindi Prachar Sabha was established in Madras to promote Hindi as a link language between northern and southern India, fostering national unity and integration. Gandhi, who served as its lifetime President, believed that Hindi, being widely spoken, could effectively connect diverse regions of the country. Over the years, the Sabha has been led by eminent personalities such as Rajendra Prasad, Lal Bahadur Shastri, Indira Gandhi, Rajiv Gandhi, P. V. Narasimha Rao, R. Venkataraman, M. V. Rajasekharan, and V. S. Malimath. Currently, it is headed by V. Muraleedharan.

With Hindi recognized as the official language of India after the adoption of the Constitution, its promotion in southern states became essential, as emphasized in Article 351. Acknowledging its significant contribution since 1918, the Sabha was granted national importance through an Act of Parliament (Act No. 14 of 1964).