Context: West Bengal Chief Minister has formally requested the Prime Minister to designate Bengali as a ‘classical language’.
More about the news:
- The Chief Minister has highlighted the historical roots of Bengali, citing scientific research conducted by the state team, which traces the language's origins back 2,500 years.
- Documents from the research demonstrate the existence of written Bengali as early as the 3rd-4th BCE.
- Bengali, as the official language of West Bengal and the second most spoken language in India, holds the seventh position globally in terms of speakers.
- The language maintains its fundamental syntactic structure, distinct morphological and phonological patterns, and has evolved consistently since the 3rd BCE
Classical Language Status:
- The term ‘Indian classical languages,’ or Shastriya Bhasha, encompasses languages in India with a rich history, significant antiquity, and a distinct literary heritage.
- The Republic of India officially designated six languages as Classical languages.
- The Indian government established criteria for conferring the status of a ‘Classical Language,’ a decision implemented by the Ministry of Culture in collaboration with the Linguistic Experts' Committee. This committee, formed by the government, evaluates requests for classifying languages as Classical Languages.
- All the Classical Languages are listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
To be recognized as a ‘Classical Language,’ a language must satisfy the following criteria:
- Demonstrated high antiquity of its early texts or a recorded history spanning 1500–2000 years.
- Possession of a body of ancient literature or texts considered valuable heritage by successive generations of speakers.
- Originality of the literary tradition, not borrowed from another speech community.
- Distinctiveness between the classical language and literature from its modern counterparts, potentially involving a discontinuity.
Languages granted Classical Language status:
- Tamil:
- Tamil is predominantly spoken in the southern part of India.
- Recognized as a classical language in 2004, Tamil boasts a vibrant literary tradition spanning over two millennia, with Sangam literature being a notable collection of ancient Tamil works
- Sanskrit:
- An ancient classical language in India, Sanskrit originated in the Vedic era.
- Officially recognized as a classical language on January 26, 2005, it holds sacred status in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.Sanskrit is characterized by well-defined grammar, an extensive vocabulary, and has significantly influenced various Indian languages.
- Telugu:
- Widely spoken in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh, Telugu achieved official recognition as a classical language in India in 2008.
- With ancient origins, Telugu poetry is renowned for its lyrical beauty, and its script is considered one of the oldest writing systems globally.
- Kannada:
- Serving as the official language of Karnataka, Kannada has a history spanning over 2,000years.
- Officially recognized as a classical language in India in 2008, Kannada has been shaped by ancient poets like Pampa, Ranna, and Harihara, contributing significantly to its cultural heritage.
- The Kannada script, derived from the ancient Brahmi script, features unique characters.
- Malayalam:
- Primarily used in the state of Kerala in southern India, Malayalam's history dates back to the ninth century.
- Recognized as a classical language in 2013, it is believed to have evolved from Proto-Tamil-Malayalam and has made significant contributions to literature, art, and music.
- Odia:
- Spoken primarily in the state of Odisha, Odia has origins dating back over 2,500 years, evolving from Prakrit and Sanskrit.
- Officially recognized as a classical language on February 20, 2014, the Indian Government acknowledged its historical, literary, and cultural importance.
Benefits of Classical Status:
- Two major international awards annually for distinguished scholars in Classical Indian Languages.
- Establishment of a 'Centre of Excellence for Studies in Classical Languages.'
- Requesting the University Grants Commission to initiate, initially in Central Universities, a designated number of Professional Chairs for Classical Languages for eminent scholars in Classical Indian Languages.