The Indian government has taken a significant step in recognizing the cultural richness of its diverse linguistic landscape. On Thursday, the government approved the conferring of classical language status to five more Indian languages: Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali. This recognition is a testament to the government’s commitment to preserving and promoting the heritage of these languages.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, at an event announcing the decision, highlighted the significance of this historical milestone. He stated, “This is a historical decision and this decision goes very well with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the NDA government’s philosophy of taking pride in our culture, taking pride in our heritage and taking pride in all the Indian languages and the rich heritage that we have.”
The government’s initiative to recognize languages as classical languages began in 2004 when Tamil was declared the first classical language. Since then, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odia have also been awarded this status. The government emphasizes its commitment to conserving and promoting these languages, recognizing their invaluable role in preserving India’s cultural heritage.
The government statement emphasizes the profound cultural significance of classical languages, stating that they serve as “custodian of Bharat’s profound and ancient cultural heritage, embodying the essence of each community’s historical and cultural milestone.” The decision to grant classical language status to these five languages was made after careful consideration of expert recommendations. A proposal from the Maharashtra government in 2013 requesting classical language status for Marathi was reviewed by the Linguistics Experts Committee (LEC), who ultimately recommended its inclusion.
Similar proposals from Bihar, Assam, and West Bengal for Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali were also considered and approved. The government statement further emphasizes the potential benefits of this recognition, stating that the inclusion of these languages as Classical Languages will create significant employment opportunities, particularly in academic and research fields.
