In a landmark decision hailed as a huge step towards preserving India’s linguistic diversity and cultural heritage, the Union government granted the prestigious “classical language” status to five more Indian languages-Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Pali and Prakrit-on Thursday.
Assamese, Marathi and Three Other Indian Languages to be Declared as Classical Language
The decision was announced by Information and Broadcasting Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw at a media briefing held following a Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Among them already included in the list are Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odia. This step takes the count of Indian classical languages to eleven.
A Historic Decision
Speaking on the matter, Minister Vaishnaw further underlined the significance of the decision and connected it with the overall vision of the government of celebrating and conserving India’s cultural and linguistic heritage.
“This is a historic decision that falls in line with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s philosophy of taking pride in our culture, heritage, and the diversity of Indian languages. Recognising these languages as classical recognises the profound contribution they have made to India’s civilizational journey,” said Vaishnaw.
The conferring of classical language status brings forth several benefits that are primarily the spreading of research works, provision of monetary funds for research, and setting up linguistic centers. All of these purposes are meant for further preservation and promotion of such languages rich in ancient history and intellectual traditions of India.
PM Modi Celebrates the Move
PM Narendra Modi expressed over the elation on five languages being declared as that marks a historic moment in India’s cultural and linguistic landscape. The Prime Minister on X (formerly Twitter) greeted the people of the respective states along with which five languages have been declared.
Our Government cherishes and celebrates India's rich history and culture. We have also been unwavering in our commitment to popularising regional languages.
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 3, 2024
I am extremely glad the Cabinet has decided that Assamese, Bengali, Marathi, Pali and Prakrit will be conferred the…
This appointment had reinforced the intention of the central government to promote the regional languages as a part of India’s cultural richness and diversity, thus affixed by the political leadership and the men of letters everywhere in this vast land of ours.
Appreciation and Festivity from Assam and Maharashtra
The leaders of Assam and Maharashtra were the first to come out in appreciation of the announcement made by the Prime Minister and the Union government; these two states had witnessed their own respective languages, Assamese and Marathi, find pride of place in the latest announcement.
Assamese bestowed with classical language status
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma thanks PM Modi says decision is historic for Assam. In a post on X, Sarma noted, “On behalf of the people of Assam, I extend my gratitude to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji and the entire Union Cabinet for the historic decision to accord Assamese the status of Classical Language. Assamese joins a select group of languages to enjoy this status.”
ASSAMESE IS NOW A CLASSICAL LANGUAGE
— Himanta Biswa Sarma (@himantabiswa) October 3, 2024
On behalf of the people of Assam, I extend my gratitude to Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji and the entire Union Cabinet for the historic decision to accord Assamese the status of Classical Language. Assamese joins a select group… pic.twitter.com/bIsMRfU0NB
In this respect, Sarma mentioned how the civilisational roots run deep in Assam and how this decision would go a long way in that greatest linguistic treasure of the state. “This proves that the civilisational roots of Assam have survived the test of time. With today’s decision we shall be able to preserve our beloved mother tongue in a better way, which not only unites our society but also forms an unbroken link to the ancient wisdom of Assam’s saints, thinkers, writers, and philosophers,” he added.
Back home in Maharashtra, Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis echoed similar sentiments on the occasion of the recognition accorded to Marathi as a classical language by calling it the “long-standing demand” of the state. “Thankful to Honourable Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the entire Union Cabinet for agreeing to our long-pending demand. From today, our Marathi language will be known as an elite language. This is a day to be written in golden letters. Thank you very much, PM Modi Ji @narendramodi,” Fadnavis wrote on X.
Fadnavis said that this declaration would further consolidate the cause to popularize and protect the language as Marathi occupies an important place in the literary and cultural space of India.
Bengali Enters Rare League
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee too welcomed Bengali getting classical status following her persuasion efforts for some years. In a post on X, Banerjee said: “Most happy to share that Bengali/Bangla has finally been accorded the status of a classical language by Government of India. We had been trying to snatch this recognition from the Ministry of Culture, GOI, and we had submitted three volumes of research findings in favour of our contention.”
Banerjee felt that the recognition was the fruit of thorough research and perseverance on the part of the state. “The Union government has accepted our well-researched claim today evening, and we finally reach the cultural apex in the body of languages in India,” she added.
Bengali is one of the most widely spoken languages in India and boasts luminaries such as Rabindranath Tagore and Kazi Nazrul Islam. The conferring of classical status is seen as a testament to the language’s immense contribution to the intellectual and cultural landscape of India.
Pali and Prakrit: Recognising Ancient Languages
Besides the conferring of classical status to languages like Assamese, Marathi, and Bengali, the Union government’s step salutes to the antiquity of the languages of Pali and Prakrit.
These languages are languages of the sacred texts of Theravada Buddhism, and Pali in particular played a central role in the diffusion of Buddhist teaching throughout Asia. There is, lastly, Prakrit, an ancient language in both Jainism and early Indian literature, one of the most important linguistic cornerstones of ancient India. These languages have been clamored for by scholars and religious figures as important elements in the legacy of India’s spiritual and philosophical past.
Expansion of the List of Classical Language
These five languages, with this declaration, bring up the tally of officially recognized classical Indian languages to eleven. Along with these newly declared classical languages, the existing classical languages are Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odia.
The status of a language as “classical” is assigned according to some criteria: its age, the wealth of ancient works in it, and the importance of the language in Indian culture and history. This results in enhanced funding opportunities for linguistic research and increased interest in these languages at both the academic and the institutional levels.
By declaring Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Pali, and Prakrit as classical languages, the Union government has reached a milestone in safeguarding and promoting India’s linguistic heritage. It has not only reified those languages because of their historical and cultural value but also shown that the government was keen on celebrating India’s colourful diversity.
As the regional leaders and cultural advocates rejoice in this new recognition, it is expected to instigate newer initiatives that will help preserve and develop these languages for succeeding generations.
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