In a significant move to promote and preserve India’s linguistic diversity, the Union Cabinet, led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has approved the conferment of classical language status to five new languages—Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali. This decision, made on Thursday, increases the number of recognized classical languages from six to eleven, marking a historic step in celebrating India’s rich cultural heritage.
Expansion of the Classical Language List
Prior to this decision, the classical languages of India included Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odia, the last of which was added in 2014. With the addition of Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali, the status of classical languages is extended to a wider range of India’s linguistic communities, highlighting the government’s commitment to promoting regional languages.
Criteria for Classical Language Status
The decision was based on recommendations from the Centre’s Language Expert Committee, which evaluates languages based on historical significance, literary tradition, and cultural importance. The criteria for determining classical language status were updated as part of the Cabinet’s decision, ensuring a rigorous and scientific approach to future proposals.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw praised the decision, stating, “This is a historic move aimed at preserving the rich cultural heritage of India. The newly recognized languages have been examined and approved based on extensive research, historical data, and cultural contributions.”
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Statement
Prime Minister Narendra Modi hailed the Cabinet’s approval, expressing his enthusiasm on social media platform X (formerly Twitter). He wrote, “Our government cherishes and celebrates India’s rich history and culture. We have also been unwavering in our commitment to popularizing regional languages. I am extremely glad the Cabinet has decided that Assamese, Bengali, Marathi, Pali, and Prakrit will be conferred the status of classical languages! Each of them are beautiful languages, highlighting our vibrant diversity. Congratulations to everyone.”
Cultural and Linguistic Significance
The recognition of these five languages as classical languages is a tribute to their deep historical roots and rich literary traditions. Each of these languages has contributed significantly to India’s cultural landscape:
- Marathi is the official language of Maharashtra and has a rich history of literature, arts, and culture.
- Pali, closely associated with Buddhist scriptures, has been a key language in ancient religious texts.
- Prakrit, an ancient language, holds immense importance in Jain and early Buddhist literature.
- Assamese is the language of Assam, known for its literary traditions that date back to the 13th century.
- Bengali, the language of West Bengal and Bangladesh, has produced some of India’s greatest literary works and cultural expressions.
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