India recognises 11 languages as classical languages: Tamil, Sanskrit, Kannada, Telugu, Malayalam, Odia, Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali.

These languages are acknowledged for their rich literary and historical heritage, with some dating back over 1,500 to 2,000 years. The initial six were Tamil (2004), Sanskrit (2005), Kannada (2008), Telugu (2008), Malayalam (2013), and Odia (2014). On October 4, 2024, the Union cabinet added the remaining five to the exalted status.

Curiously, Hindi doesn’t figure in the list of classical languages. We don’t have to look too far to find the reason. After all, Hindi is spoken in several dialects. Bhojpuri, Brij, Maithili and so forth. So, it is possible the government is still examining the antiquity and heritage of each of the Hindi dialects.

Punjabi, too, doesn’t figure in the list but that doesn’t raise the hackles of Punjabis who revel in and celebrate the flippancy and bluff lightness of the language.

The redoubtable Rajaji, famed for his foresightedness and intelligence, committed about 55 years ago the same error as Kamal Haasan – Kannada came out of the womb of Tamil.

He, too, had hailed Tamil as the mother of Kannada. He post-haste........

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