Union Cabinet on Thursday expanded the list of ‘classical languages’ of India to 11 by including MarathiPali, Prakrit, Assamese And Bengali In this. Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Oriya Was already a member of this league. The first to get ‘classical’ status was Tamil in 2004, while Oriya got the sixth position in 2014.
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said, “Classical languages serve as custodians of India’s deep and ancient cultural heritage, which are the essence of the historical and cultural milestones of each community.”
How is a language selected for ‘classical’ status?
The category ‘Classical Languages’ was created on 12 October 2004, with Tamil as the only entry. In November that year, the Ministry of Culture created a Linguistic Expert Committee (LEC) under the Sahitya Akademi to examine the qualifications of other potential contenders. Sanskrit was ‘declared’classical language‘in 2005, Telugu and Kannada in 2008, and Malayalam and Oriya in 2013 and 2014 respectively.
A government press release said the selection criteria for ‘classical languages’ have been revised twice since 2004, the last time in July this year. These are:
- The high antiquity of (its) earliest texts/recorded history spans 1,500–2,000 years.
- A body of ancient literature/texts that is considered heritage by generations of speakers.
- Knowledge texts, especially prose texts, epigraphic and epigraphic evidence in addition to poetry.
- ‘Classical language’ and literature may differ from their present form or from the later forms of their branches.
- The first criterion that “the literary tradition of a language must be original and not borrowed from another speech community” has been removed.
What changes occur in the language after attaining ‘classical’ status?
The government promotes the study and preservation of ‘classical languages’.
- Two major annual international awards for distinguished scholars in classical Indian languages.
- A Center of Excellence for Studies in ‘Classical Languages’ has been set up to support advanced research.
- The University Grants Commission (UGC) is requested to create professional chairs in central universities to support the study of ‘classical languages’.
For example, in 2020 three central universities – Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, New Delhi; Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, Tirupati; And Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, New Delhi – was established to promote Sanskrit. Similarly, the Central Institute of Classical Tamil was established to facilitate translation of ancient Tamil texts, promote research and offer courses for university students and scholars of the Tamil language. Centers of excellence for studies in classical Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam and Oriya were established under the Central Institute of Indian Languages in Mysuru.
States with ‘classical languages’ such as Odisha and Tamil Nadu are entitled to annual grants for the study, research and promotion of their languages.
How did Marathi, Bengali, Assamese get this status?
In July 2013, a committee headed by Professor Ranganath Pathare submitted a report to the Centre. “There is a misconception that Marathi is a branch of Sanskrit or that it is only 800-1,000 years old,” said Professor Hari Narke, coordinator of a 10-member committee that gathered evidence to show that Marathi is at least 2,300 years old. Narke said the committee has submitted 80 documentary evidences to show that Marathi is a native language.
In 2023, the State Higher Education Department of the Government of West Bengal established the Institute of Language Studies and Research (ILSR) to advance knowledge in language studies, translation and cultural research. The institute collected evidence for two years and prepared a draft which was submitted to the Centre. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee had written a letter to PM Modi in 2024, urging him to accept Bengali as a classical language.
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said on 1 October that his government is in “regular touch” with Modi and the Center to recognize Assamese as a ‘classical language’. On his X handle, Sarma emphasized why it should be given the status of ‘classical language’.
Is giving this status also a political weapon?
Granting ‘classical’ status to a language has political implications, especially during election season. Recognizing the cultural heritage of a specific linguistic group allows parties to gain support in areas where language defines identity.
Language has long been an important tool in identity politics. For example, the UPA-led Center granted ‘classical language’ status to Tamil after the victory of the DMK-led alliance in the 2004 state elections. DMK patron M Karunanidhi offered support to Manmohan Singh’s UPA government on the condition that Tamil be given ‘classical language’ status.
Five of the first six ‘classical languages’ – excluding Sanskrit – were spoken in South India. This time, the states whose languages were chosen form a belt from west to east: Maharashtra (Marathi), Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Bihar (Pali and Prakrit), West Bengal (Bengali), and Assam (Assamese).
Was Marathi included keeping Maharashtra elections in mind?
The first proposal to include Marathi in the list came from the Congress-led Maharashtra government in 2013. The decision comes after a decade with the BJP and its allies running both the Center and the state. It is also very close to the state elections. Political observers say that this decision can be used to seek votes in the name of Marathi asmita (Marathi pride).
Do such titles create a language hierarchy?
Rating languages can lead to the perception that some languages are more prestigious or culturally important than others, especially in a multilingual country like India. The Marathi versus non-Marathi political narrative in Maharashtra that has fueled several elections is a classic case of language hierarchy in the state. During elections the sentiments against Hindi and Gujarati become stronger. Even in the south, leaders of Tamil Nadu political parties, including the late M Karunanidhi, criticized the central government’s efforts to promote Sanskrit in schools by mandating the three-language formula.
