Why language needs more than a tag

Earlier this month, the Union Cabinet granted classical language status to Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali. With Tamil (2004), Sanskrit (2005), Telugu (2008), Kannada (2008), Malayalam (2013), and Odia (2014) already designated as classical languages, this brings the total to 11.

- ANUSKHA BHARDWAJ

Initiated by the Ministry of Culture in 2004, the classical status offers benefits such as establishing Centres of Excellence for advanced research, creating professional chairs in central universities, special awards, and dedicated government funding. “Beyond fostering academic and research opportunities, this status drives initiatives to preserve and promote the cultural heritage of these languages,” says KS Rao, secretary of Sahitya Akademi, the organisation under which the Linguistic Expert Committee functions.

Linguists, however, note that while the recognition brings pride, the status hasn’t really translated into employment opportunities, public interest, or practical value for regional languages. “Cultural identity and some native words will be preserved, but the impact on the everyday individual may be intangible,” says Nirmal Kanti Bhattacharjee, former editor of Sahitya Akademi’s journal, ‘Indian Literature’.

Of the six languages that previously gained classical status, only Tamil has an independent centre. Centres of Excellence for Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Odia, which are also seeking autonomy, are managed by the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL). For Sanskrit, dedicated universities receive direct government funding. “The government recognises what linguists have long argued, yet an actionable plan to encourage learning is still lacking,” says Karthik Venkatesh, executive editor at Penguin Random House India.