The Union Cabinet granted classical language status to Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Pali, and Prakrit on October 3, 2024.
Now the total number of classical languages in India is eleven, up from the existing six.
The six languages that previously held the classical status were Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odia. Tamil was the first to receive the recognition in 2004, followed by Sanskrit in 2005. The most recent addition before this decision was Odia, which was granted the status in 2014.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated the speakers of the newly recognized languages. In a post on X, he praised the cultural and historical significance of Marathi and Bengali, among others. “Marathi is India’s pride. This honour acknowledges the rich cultural contribution of Marathi in our nation’s history. Similarly, Bengali literature has inspired countless people over generations,” the Prime Minister wrote.
Our Government cherishes and celebrates India’s rich history and culture. We have also been unwavering in our commitment to popularising regional languages.
I am extremely glad the Cabinet has decided that Assamese, Bengali, Marathi, Pali and Prakrit will be conferred the…
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) October 3, 2024
The decision follows an earlier this year review of the criteria by the Sahitya Akademi-chaired Linguistics Experts Committee. A language must have a 1,500–2,000-year documented history, a sizable corpus of ancient literature, and unique linguistic traditions distinct from its contemporary forms in order to be considered a classical language.
The announcement has drawn widespread appreciation, particularly in Maharashtra and West Bengal.
Maharashtra’s deputy CM, Eknath Shinde, who was then the Chief Minister, hailed it as a “historic day,” expressing gratitude to the central government for fulfilling a decade-long demand. The demand for classical status for Marathi dates back to 2013, with successive governments pushing for its recognition.
Similarly, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee described the recognition of Bengali as a cultural milestone during the state’s biggest festival, Durga Puja.
Government support to languages
With the new status, these languages will get immense support from the central government. This includes setting up Centers of Excellence for language studies, creating academic chairs in universities, and international awards for scholars of these languages. Efforts will also be made to preserve, digitize, and promote ancient texts, thus providing employment opportunities in research, publishing, and archiving.
Pali and Prakrit, closely related to the Buddhist and Jain traditions, will also be revitalized by renewed focus on their historical and cultural significance.
