The Union Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has approved to confer the status of Classical Language to Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese and Bengali languages. The Classical Languages serve as a custodian of Bharat’s profound and ancient cultural heritage, embodying the essence of each community’s historical and cultural milestone.
The demand for classical status for Marathi has been pending since 2013 and the approval comes just ahead of the scheduled Assembly elections in Maharashtra. The approval for Bengali comes amid Durga Puja, the biggest festival of West Bengal.
For the unversed, classical language refers to any language with an independent literary tradition and a larger body of ancient written language. Also known as Shashtriya Bhasha, these languages have deep historical background, rich literary traditions and have significant contribution in intellectual and cultural development of the region.
As custodians of India’s profound cultural heritage, the 11 classical languages mark important historical and cultural milestones for their communities. Their literary and philosophical traditions have significantly influenced various literary genres and styles.
To promote and preserve these linguistic treasures, the Indian government established the Center of Excellence for Studies in Classical Languages at the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL) in Mysore.
In 2004, the Indian government recognised the importance of preserving these ancient languages by designating those that meet specific criteria as “Classical Languages.”
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