The Union Cupboard on Thursday expanded the listing of India’s ‘Classical Languages’ to 11 by together with Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese and Bengali in it. Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Odia had been already members of this league. Tamil was the primary to get ‘classical’ standing in 2004, whereas Odia, the sixth, obtained it in 2014.
“Classical Languages function a custodian of Bharat’s profound and historical cultural heritage, embodying the essence of every group’s historic and cultural milestones,” Union minister Ashwini Vaishnaw mentioned.
How is a language chosen for ‘classical’ standing?
The class of ‘Classical Languages’ was created on Oct 12, 2004, with Tamil being the one entry. In November that 12 months, the ministry of tradition created a Linguistic Specialists Committee (LEC) below the Sahitya Akademi to look at the eligibility of different attainable contenders. Sanskrit was declared a ‘Classical Language‘ in 2005, Telugu and Kannada in 2008, and Malayalam and Odia in 2013 and 2014, respectively.
A govt press launch says choice standards for a ‘Classical Language’ have been revised twice since 2004, the final time in July this 12 months. These are:
- Excessive antiquity of (its) early texts/recorded historical past over a interval of 1,500-2,000 years.
- A physique of historical literature/texts which is taken into account a heritage by generations of audio system.
- Information texts, particularly prose texts along with poetry, epigraphical and inscriptional proof.
- The ‘Classical Language’ and literature might be distinct from its present kind or might be discontinuous with later types of its offshoots.
- The lder criterion {that a} language’s “literary custom be authentic and never borrowed from one other speech group” has been dropped.
What adjustments for language after gaining ‘Classical’ standing?
The govt. promotes the examine and preservation of ‘Classical Languages’.
- Two main annual worldwide awards for students of eminence in classical Indian languages.
- A Centre of Excellence for Research in ‘Classical Languages’ has been established to assist superior analysis.
- College Grants Fee (UGC) is requested to create skilled Chairs in central universities to assist the examine of ‘Classical Languages’.
For instance, in 2020, three central universities – Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, New Delhi; Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Tirupati; and Sri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeeth, New Delhi – had been established to advertise Sanskrit. Likewise, the Central Institute of Classical Tamil was set as much as facilitate the interpretation of historical Tamil texts, promote analysis and provide programs for college college students and language students of Tamil. Centres of excellence for research in classical Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, and Odia had been established below the Central Institute of Indian Languages in Mysuru.
States with ‘Classical Languages’, corresponding to Odisha and Tamil Nadu, are entitled to annual grants for the examine, analysis and promotion of their languages.
How Marathi, Bengali, Assamese obtained this standing
In July 2013, a committee headed by Prof Rangnath Pathare submitted a report back to the Centre. Professor Hari Narke, coordinator of the 10-member committee that gathered proof to point out that Marathi is a minimum of 2,300 years previous, mentioned, “It’s a mistaken notion that Marathi is an offshoot of Sanskrit or that it’s merely 800-1,000 years previous.” Narke mentioned the committee submitted 80 items of documentary proof to point out that Marathi is an authentic language.
In 2023, the state greater training division of the West Bengal govt established the Institute of Language Research and Analysis (ILSR) to advance information in language research, translation and cultural analysis. The institute gathered proof for 2 years and ready a draft that was submitted to the Centre. West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee wrote to PM Modi in 2024, urging the acceptance of Bengali as a classical language.
Assam CM Himanta Biswa Sarma on October 1 mentioned his govt is in “common contact” with Modi and the Centre to recognise Assamese as a ‘Classical Language’. On his X deal with, Sarma confused why it must be granted ‘Classical Language’ standing.
Is conferring this standing additionally a political device?
Conferring ‘classical’ standing on a language has political implications, significantly throughout the election season. Recognising the cultural heritage of a particular linguistic group permits events to garner assist in areas the place language defines identification.
Language has lengthy been a big device in identification politics. For instance, the UPA-led Centre accorded ‘Classical Language’ standing to Tamil after the DMK-led alliance swept the 2004 state elections. DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi provided assist to Manmohan Singh’s UPA govt provided that Tamil be granted the standing of a ‘Classical Language’.
5 of the primary six ‘Classical Languages’ – barring Sanskrit – had been spoken in South India. This time, the states whose languages have been chosen kind 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 with eye on Maharashtra polls?
The primary proposal to incorporate Marathi within the listing got here from a Congress-led Maharashtra govt in 2013. The choice has come a decade later when BJP and its allies run each the Centre and the state. It is also timed very near the state elections. Political observers say this determination can be utilized to hunt votes within the identify of Marathi asmita (Marathi delight).
Do such titles create language hierarchies?
Ranking languages can provide rise to the notion that some languages are extra prestigious or culturally important than others, particularly in a multilingual nation like India. The Marathi versus non-Marathi political narrative in Maharashtra that has fuelled a number of elections is a basic case of language hierarchy within the state. Sentiments in opposition to Hindi and Gujarati are bolstered throughout the elections. Even down south, leaders of political events in Tamil Nadu, together with the late M Karunanidhi, criticised the Union govt’s makes an attempt to advertise Sanskrit in faculties by mandating the three-language method.
