The central government is working hard to protect language heritage
The Modi government is committed to protecting and developing the country’s rich linguistic heritage – Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy once said this. He set out the government’s vision to achieve development by 2047, the centenary of India’s independence. He said that language plays a very important role in cultural development and national unity.
Union Minister Sir Kishan Reddy said that the variety of Indian languages is unique and it is a unique model in the world. The language of India is not only a means of communication but also a valuable repository of knowledge, culture and tradition. He said Macaulay’s policies in 1835 were designed to suppress Indian languages and restrict free speech. But the Modi government has been committed to protecting regional languages.
PM Modi carries forward tradition
The Union Minister said that while continuing this tradition, special emphasis has been given to the development of Indian languages under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. After the abrogation of Article 370, Kashmiri, Dogri, Urdu, Hindi and English were recognized as official languages of Jammu and Kashmir. This decision was important for the emotion and empowerment of the local community.
Yes. Kishan Reddy said classical languages, which preserve India’s ancient cultural heritage, are receiving special attention today. The government is constantly working towards giving ancient languages the status of classical languages. The Union Cabinet led by Prime Minister Modi approved designating Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese and Bengali as classical languages in October 2024. Their total number has increased to 11.
Recognizes 11 classical languages
He said that India is the only country in the world that recognizes 11 classical languages. In early 2020, three Central Sanskrit Universities were also established, the Central Institute of Classical Tamil Studies and Translation was established, and Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam were established under the Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore Center for Special Studies in Rami and Odia Languages. There is progress in this direction.
Yes. Kishan Reddy said the inclusion of language in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution is an important step in this direction. Initially there were 14 languages in the Eighth Schedule, which has now been increased to 22. This step reflects the diversity of India. In 1967, Sindhi was included in the Eighth Schedule. Atal Bihari Vajpayee said – I speak Hindi but Sindhi is my aunt.
Strengthening of national education policy
Similarly, in 1992, Konkani, Manipur and Nepali were added to the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution. Later in 2003, Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government encouraged the development of regional languages in India. Through an amendment proposed by the then Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani, Bodo, Dogri, Maithili and Santhali were included. Santhali’s inclusion demonstrates the government’s commitment to and respect for tribal culture and values.
Reddy said that the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a transformative step in promoting Indian languages.
India’s Diversity on the Global Stage
The government aims to make all Indian languages globally competitive and provide modern education in regional languages. Initiatives such as language-based tourism, literary festivals and language studies aim to showcase India’s diversity on the global stage. Prime Minister Modi also said in Mann Ki Baat – Just like we cannot leave our mother, we cannot leave our mother tongue.
