India, a land celebrated for its linguistic richness and cultural diversity, has taken a historic step toward preserving its ancient linguistic legacy. In October 2024, the Government of India conferred the prestigious Classical Language status upon Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali, joining six other languages — Tamil, Sanskrit, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, and Odia — already recognised as Classical Languages. With this, India now proudly celebrates eleven Classical Languages, each representing a profound chapter in the country’s civilisational journey.
A Testament to India’s Timeless Voices
Language is not merely a tool of communication; it is a vessel of history, thought, and identity. The recognition of Classical Languages underscores the government’s commitment to preserving the timeless wisdom embedded in India’s linguistic traditions. As Prime Minister Narendra Modi often emphasises, “Virasat Bhi, Vikas Bhi” (Heritage with Progress) — a vision that finds living expression in India’s approach to cultural preservation alongside national development.
These languages have served as the mediums through which ancient Indian knowledge systems, philosophies, and values have flourished. They form a linguistic bridge connecting the present generation to India’s millennia-old literary and spiritual traditions.
Why “Classical Language” Status Matters
Granting Classical Language status is both a symbolic and practical effort to honour a language’s contribution to Indian civilisation. Beyond the prestige it brings, this recognition ensures institutional support for documentation, research, and promotion. It safeguards languages with deep historical and literary roots, allowing them to continue inspiring generations to come.
To qualify as a Classical Language, a language must possess high antiquity of early texts or recorded history spanning over 1,500 to 2,000 years, a rich body of ancient literature considered a cultural heritage, distinct linguistic identity from its modern form, and significant evidence from inscriptions, epigraphy, and prose texts.
The New Entrants: Five Pillars of India’s Cultural Identity
Marathi, rooted in Maharastri Prakrit and dating back more than 2,500 years, reflects the continuity of India’s linguistic traditions. The Gathasaptasati, attributed to King Hala in the 1st century CE, remains one of the earliest poetic works in the language. Inscriptions like the Naneghata inscription provide evidence of Marathi’s ancient existence, while saints such as Dnyaneshwar, Namdev, and Tukaram enriched its devotional literature and spiritual depth.
Pali, known as the language of the Buddha’s teachings, holds an unparalleled position in world philosophy. The Tipitaka — comprising the Vinaya Pitaka, Sutta Pitaka, and Abhidhamma Pitaka — embodies centuries of Buddhist wisdom. Pali literature also includes the Jataka Kathas, moral tales of the Buddha’s previous lives, reflecting universal human values and India’s shared cultural ethos.
Prakrit represents a group of Middle Indo-Aryan languages that shaped much of India’s linguistic evolution. Used by both Lord Buddha and Mahavira for their sermons, Prakrit served as the language of the people. It laid the foundation for many modern Indian languages, including Hindi, Bengali, and Marathi. Ancient grammarians such as Panini, Vararuchi, and Acharya Bharatmuni studied and documented its structure, highlighting its richness and accessibility across social strata.
Assamese, emerging from Magadhi Apabhramsa, traces its heritage to the 7th century CE. The Charyapadas—Buddhist tantric hymns—form some of the earliest examples of Assamese script and literature. Through centuries of evolution, Assamese has developed a distinct phonetic and poetic identity while retaining deep connections to Sanskritic and Prakritic traditions.
Bengali’s literary and philosophical journey mirrors India’s cultural renaissance. From the early Charyapadas to the works of Rabindranath Tagore, Bengali literature has profoundly influenced India’s intellectual and nationalist discourse. Writers like Bankim Chandra Chatterjee, Ishwar Chandra Vidyasagar, and Kazi Nazrul Islam inspired reform, awakening, and freedom movements. The language’s contribution to India’s national identity is immortalised in Vande Mataram and Jana Gana Mana.
Institutions Preserving Classical Heritage
The Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), under the Ministry of Education, plays a pivotal role in promoting Classical Languages through dedicated Centres of Excellence established across the country. These centres are engaged in documentation, research, digitisation of manuscripts, and translation of ancient texts into multiple Indian and foreign languages.
The Central Institute of Classical Tamil in Chennai has translated ancient Tamil texts such as Tolkāppiyam and Tirukkural into 28 Indian and 30 world languages, including Braille. The Centre for Classical Telugu at Nellore has compiled over 10,000 classical epics and inscriptions and translated seminal works like Andhra Sabda Chintamani into English. The Centre for Classical Kannada in Mysuru has published research works, promoted awareness through training programmes, and facilitated documentation projects. The Centre for Classical Odia in Bhubaneswar has focused on studying inscriptions, mural paintings, and ancient manuscripts to trace Odia’s classical roots, while the Centre for Classical Malayalam at Tirur conducts linguistic research and preservation in collaboration with Thunchath Ezhuthachan Malayalam University.
In addition, the government has established Central Sanskrit Universities in Delhi and Tirupati to advance the study and research of Sanskrit and related traditions, strengthening the institutional foundation of India’s linguistic preservation efforts.