Marathi, Bengali, and 3 Other Indian Languages Added to Classical Language List; Full List Here!

The Union Cabinet, led by PM Narendra Modi, has made a significant decision by granting 'Classical Language' status to Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali. This brings the total number of classical languages in India to 11. 

Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav highlighted on this occasion that PM Modi has always given priority to Indian languages. This decision to add 5 more languages to the list is an important step in promoting these languages.

5 New Classical Languages

The central government introduced the "classical language" category in 2004, with Tamil being the first to receive this status. After Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Oriya were also given classical language recognition. Now, Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali have been added to this list. 

This move of the Indian government gives special recognition to the languages of states like Maharashtra, Bihar, West Bengal, and Assam.

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List of India’s Classical Languages:

The table below lists all the languages that India has recognized as classical, along with the year they were granted this status:

What does it Mean to be a Classical Language?

To qualify as a classical language, it must have a history of at least 1500 to 2000 years, along with a rich collection of ancient literature or texts.

Once a language is given classical status, its ancient literary works, like texts, poems, and plays, are digitized and preserved. This helps future generations learn about and appreciate the cultural and literary heritage.

Giving a language classical status raises awareness and respect for it and its cultural heritage in society. It also helps in the long-term preservation and growth of that language.

Political Angle of this Decision

Back in 2013, the Maharashtra government had sent a proposal to the central government requesting that Marathi be given the status of a classical language. This request has now been approved. The timing of this decision, just before the Maharashtra assembly elections, is also being seen as a political move.

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