Saturday, November 9th, 2024

What is the importance of a language getting the status of classical language, know on what basis it gets this status.


New Delhi : The Center gave the status of classical languages ​​to Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese and Bengali. Till now this status was given to Tamil, Malayalam, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada and Odia. Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnav said the government is taking steps to promote classical languages ​​to preserve India’s rich heritage.

What will be the benefit of getting classical status?

In a release issued by the government, it was said that the Union Cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has approved giving the status of classical languages ​​to Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese and Bengali languages. Classical languages ​​serve as custodians of India’s deep and ancient cultural heritage, which is the essence of the historical and cultural milestones of each community.

Our government values ​​and celebrates India’s rich history and culture. We have also remained unwavering in our commitment to popularize regional languages. All these languages ​​are beautiful and highlight the vibrant diversity of the country. These languages ​​are also known for their literary traditions. The recognition they have been given as classical languages ​​is a tribute to their timeless influence on Indian thought, culture and history.

PM Modi

The government believes that the inclusion of languages ​​as classical languages ​​will create significant employment opportunities, especially in the academic and research sectors. Moreover, preservation, documentation and digitization of ancient texts of these languages ​​will create employment opportunities in collecting, translation, publishing and digital media.

Big decision of Central Government before Maharashtra elections, 5 languages ​​including Marathi got the status of classical language.

What is classical language?

Classical languages ​​are ancient languages ​​with independent traditions and rich literary histories that continue to influence various literary styles and philosophical texts. With the latest approval from the Cabinet, the total number of recognized classical languages ​​in India now stands at 11. Before this, Tamil, Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Odia already had the status of classical languages.

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On what basis is status given?

The government created a new category called ‘Classical Languages’ on 12 October 2004. It declared Tamil a classical language on the basis of its more than a thousand years of history, valuable texts and literature, and originality. In November 2004, a Language Expert Committee (LEC) was constituted by the Ministry of Culture under the Sahitya Akademi to examine the eligibility of the languages ​​proposed to be granted classical language status.

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The following year, Sanskrit was declared a classical language. Gradually, Telugu and Kannada in 2008, and Malayalam and Odia in 2013 and 2014 also joined the list. For this, proposals have to be sent from the respective language states. After this, the process of granting recognition is completed after consideration of the proposal by the Language Expert Committee under the Sahitya Kala Akademi.

According to a 2005 press release, the following criteria were outlined for declaring a classical language.

  • High antiquity: The language must have ancient texts or recorded history that is more than 1,500–2000 years old.
  • Valuable heritage: An important collection of ancient literature or texts that has been preserved and valued by generations of speakers.
  • Originality: The language must have a distinct and original literary tradition, not derived from any other speech community.
  • Difference from modern forms: There should be a clear distinction between the classical language and its modern forms. With possible imbalance between ancient and later versions.

3 Central University for Sanskrit Language

To promote classical languages, the government had established three central universities for Sanskrit language in 2020. The Central Institute of Classical Tamil was established to facilitate translation of ancient Tamil texts, promote research and provide courses for university students. For the study and preservation of classical languages, centers of excellence for studies in classical Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam and Odia were established under the aegis of the Central Institute of Indian Languages ​​in Mysore.

Apart from these initiatives, several national and international awards have been instituted to recognize and encourage achievements in the field of classical languages. The Ministry of Education provides benefits to classical languages ​​including national awards for classical languages, chairs in universities and centers for the promotion of classical languages.

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