Union Minister for Education, Dharmendra Pradhan, held an interaction on Friday in Delhi with scholars representing five newly recognized classical languages — Assamese, Pali, Marathi, Bangla, and Prakrit.
The event, organized by the Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti, was attended by prominent figures, including Chamu Krishna Shastry, Chairman of the Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti, and M Jagadesh Kumar, Chairman of the University Grants Commission (UGC), alongside various academicians, scholars, and officials from the Ministry.
Representing the Assamese language were Nagaland University Chancellor Dr Samudra Gupta Kashyap, Dr Gajendra Adhikary of the Centre for North East Studies of Mahapursha Srimanta Sankardeva Viswavidyalaya, Vice-Chancellor of Assam Prakashan Parishad, Dr Sumanta Chaliha, Associate Professor at Anundoram Borooah Institute of Language Art and Culture, Bhaskarjyoti Sarma, and 'Sadin' Editor Anuradha Sharma Pujari.
The delegation suggested setting up of an independent language research centre in Assam. Pradhan urged the delegation to put down its suggestions in Assamese language itself.
During the meeting, the scholars expressed their profound gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for acknowledging and including these vibrant Indian languages in the classical languages list. They reaffirmed their commitment to promoting and enriching these linguistic treasures.
Dharmendra Pradhan emphasized the government's holistic approach to fostering the learning of Indian languages, aligning with the principles of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. He stated, “The government is making all-round efforts to celebrate, honour, and preserve the linguistic heritage of the country.”
The Minister further articulated Prime Minister Modi's belief that all languages in India are integral to the nation’s identity. He assured attendees of the government's determination to facilitate learning across all Indian languages and to enhance their international presence. “I remain committed to facilitating learning in the mother language and boosting multilingualism with equal emphasis on all Indian languages,” Pradhan added.
In closing, he underscored the sentiment that “the soul of India lives through its languages,” reiterating the government's commitment to ensuring that Indian languages thrive both domestically and on the global stage.
