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India is a land of incredible linguistic diversity, with hundreds of languages spoken by millions of people. Hindi is the most common language, but many regional languages like Bengali, Tamil, and Telugu are also widely spoken. The constitution recognizes 22 official languages (Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri,Gujarati, Hindi, Kashmiri, Kannada, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu), and some states have their own official languages as well. The government is taking steps to preserve these languages through education initiatives and digital tools like National Translation Mission and the new National Education Policy, 2020. However, globalization and social changes threaten many minority languages, and efforts are needed to ensure their survival.
Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri,Gujarati, Hindi, Kashmiri, Kannada, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Nepali, Oriya, Punjabi, Sanskrit, Santhali, Sindhi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu
Hindi is the most widely spoken language in India, covering a large part of northern and central India and about 43.6% of the country's population. Bengali comes in distant second position with only 8.03% of the country's population, closely followed by Marathi (6.86%), Telugu (6.70%) and Tamil (5.70%).
India is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world, with over 1,600 languages and dialects spoken by its citizens. Each language reflects the unique history, traditions and customs of the people who speak it, making India a melting pot of linguistic and cultural diversity. However, the language question has been contentious. Some in the Constituent Assembly of India supported use of Hindi as an official language as it was spoken by the majority of Indians and could become a unifying factor for national solidarity. It could enable easy coordination between governments, and in communication with citizens. However, others feared that it would create a hegemony and disadvantage other languages in government jobs. T.A. Ramalingam Chettiar said that in the South, it is probably a “question of life and death”. SV Krishnamurthy Rao said “Hindi is an inferior language to many local languages”.In Pakistan, the linguistic plurality was entirely dismissed and Urdu was selected as official language despite calls for Bengali to be included.
India is a linguistic powerhouse, with a mind-boggling number of languages spoken by millions. There are over 10 million speakers of 14 languages, and an additional 32 languages boast at least 1 million speakers each. Interestingly, most of these languages are spoken mainly in specific regions, with most states having their own official language.
Hindi reigns supreme in India, with almost half (43.6%) of the population speaking it, mainly in the north and central regions. Bengali, though far behind at 8.03%, holds the second spot, followed closely by Marathi, Telugu, and Tamil, each spoken by around 5-7% of the population.
Language Families in India: Languages spoken in India can be divided into different families such as:
India has a rich history of languages however they are threatened due to prevailing globalisation. While diverse languages enrich the culture, access to education, and even cultural know-how, over half are at risk of extinction. Globalization, nuclear family structures, and migration prioritize English, reducing usage of minority languages. Limited content on the internet in these languages further marginalizes them. Lack of scripts and government assimilation policies add to the danger. Preserving these languages requires promoting education in mother tongues, supporting digital presence, and recognizing their cultural significance. Only then can India truly celebrate its linguistic diversity and ensure their survival for future generations.
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