India’s linguistic heritage faces extinction

Tamil Nadu leads battle for linguistic rights

India's linguistic diversity is rapidly diminishing, with many indigenous languages at risk of extinction. As International Mother Language Day is here, experts stress the urgent need to preserve these endangered languages.

India, renowned for its rich cultural heritage, is home to over 1,600 languages, making it one of the world’s most linguistically diverse nations. However, this linguistic mosaic is rapidly shrinking, with many indigenous languages facing the threat of extinction. As the world celebrates International Mother Language Day, experts are raising urgent concerns about the need to preserve these endangered languages and protect India’s linguistic treasure.

A report by the People’s Linguistic Survey of India (PLSI) highlights that over 220 languages in India have already faced decline or have vanished since 1961, and many others are on the verge of extinction.

Decline of indigenous languages in India

In the past five decades, over 220 languages have experienced a dramatic decline, and according to a report by the United Nations, a language dies every two weeks globally. India is not immune to this crisis. Various indigenous languages, especially those spoken by tribal communities, are facing extinction as a result of reduced intergenerational transmission and cultural assimilation.

Among these languages are some that once had a widespread presence but are now spoken only by a handful of elderly speakers. The survey by PLSI suggests that India’s linguistic diversity is rapidly being eroded, with languages such as Toda, Kusunda, Sentinelese, and Garo among those at risk.

Sanketh Ramkrishnamurthy, is a strong advocate for the preservation of India’s diverse languages. Recognising the deep connection between language, culture, and identity, he emphasises the need to protect and promote the smaller, indigenous languages that are at risk of disappearing.

“When we lose a language, we are not simply losing a set of words; we are losing entire worlds. Each language carries with it centuries of history, unique stories and valuable insights into the environment, health and culture of a community. These are not just relics of the past, but vital pieces of knowledge that could guide our future. The extinction of a language means the erosion of a community’s identity, and the wisdom it holds could be lost forever. It is our collective responsibility to ensure that we don’t allow these treasures to fade away unnoticed,” Ramkrishnamurthy tells Media India Group.

Ramkrishnamurthy emphasises the profound connection between language and culture, highlighting how languages serve as essential links between generations and communities. His words reflect the urgent need to protect smaller, indigenous languages, which are not just modes of communication but also repositories of a community’s heritage and wisdom.

“Language is the bridge that connects generations, cultures, and the very essence of who we are. As we continue to prioritise major languages like Hindi and English, we risk erasing the diversity of voices that make up the fabric of India. Small tribal and regional languages are not just ways of speaking; they are the living testimonies of a community’s traditions, beliefs, and worldview. When these languages disappear, we lose something far greater than just a mode of communication we lose a rich tapestry of human experience that could help us better understand ourselves and the world around us,” he adds.

Ramkrishnamurthy believes that the decline of these languages goes beyond mere communication, as it represents the loss of invaluable cultural heritage, wisdom, and identity that are essential for the future generations to understand their roots and heritage.

“As I observe the growing dominance of English and major regional languages like Hindi, Tamil, and Bengali, I can’t help but feel concerned about the future of India’s smaller, indigenous languages. In today’s fast-paced world, people often view English as a gateway to success, and major regional languages are seen as more practical for communication. This mindset has led many parents to stop teaching their children their native tongue, thinking it is of little use,” he adds.

According to Ramkrishnamurthy, the loss of these languages not only erases modes of communication but also destroys a vast cultural heritage that shapes the identity and wisdom of communities.

“As people migrate from rural areas to cities in search of better opportunities, they abandon their mother tongue in favour of the more widely spoken city languages, further contributing to the decline of these languages. Schools, which should be the custodians of culture, largely ignore indigenous languages, favouring English or major regional languages, thus neglecting to pass these languages onto the next generation. The prevalence of media in big languages, be it movies, TV shows, or social media content, only reinforces this trend, drawing young people away from their own languages. What is worse is that many of these languages lack a script, making it even more difficult to preserve them. When elders who speak these languages pass away, there is no means for younger generations to carry them forward. Intercaste and interlingual marriages, while helping to foster unity, also lead to the adoption of common languages like Hindi or English at home, further diminishing the use of native languages,” he adds.

Ramkrishnamurthy emphasises the urgent need for government intervention in the preservation of India’s endangered languages.

“With minimal government support for the preservation of endangered languages, it feels as though the battle to save them is being lost. We must act swiftly to reverse this trend, not only to protect the languages themselves but also to safeguard the invaluable wisdom, culture, and identity they carry,” he adds.

Tamil Nadu’s historic struggle against linguistic imposition

While languages across India are rapidly declining, Tamil Nadu has consistently been at the forefront of this battle, standing strong in its defence of linguistic rights. The state has consistently voiced its resistance to the imposition of Hindi, even in the face of pressure from the central government.

“For the past 100 years, Tamil Nadu has been fighting against the imposition of Hindi, and this struggle continues today,” says Thangavel Manickam, Investment Finance and Property Legal Advisor at VSJ Associates, who is also an advocate for the preservation of India’s endangered tribal languages.

“India’s fight for freedom against the British ended in 1947. However, the struggle against Hindi imposition began in 1937 and has taken different forms over the years. Today, it has reappeared as the National Education Policy, with the ruling BJP government pressuring Tamil Nadu to accept its policies in exchange for education funds. Tamil Nadu contributes money to the Union government, but now the Union government is demanding that Tamil Nadu follow its policies to receive funds. This is not new for Tamilians,” Manickam tells Media India Group.

In July 1938, people walked from Trichy to Chennai in protest against Hindi. Many women also joined the movement. To stop the protests, leaders like Periyar and Anna were arrested. Periyar was jailed for 18 months, and Anna for 9 months. This is part of Tamil Nadu’s history, fighting against Hindi imposition to protect the Tamil language.

Manickam highlights that India has over 1,500 languages, with the Constitution officially recognising 22 of them. However, the government continues to give special importance to Hindi, trying to force it upon non-Hindi speakers. This imposition has been a long-standing issue, dating back to the British colonial era, and it remains a challenge even today. Despite India’s linguistic diversity, the prioritisation of Hindi over regional languages marginalises the voices of millions who speak other native languages. This ongoing struggle for language equality is not just a political issue; it is a matter of preserving the rich cultural identities embedded in these languages.

“Because of this, I have the right to speak about language issues and to stand up for endangered languages in India. The government considers a language official if at least 10,000 people speak it. In the 1961 census, 1,652 languages were recorded,” Manickam adds.

“In states like Bihar, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Telangana, Kerala, Punjab, Odisha, Assam, and West Bengal, many people now speak Hindi more fluently than their own mother tongue. Hindi has mixed with their languages so much that it cannot be separated. Because of this, languages like Bhojpuri, Magahi, and Maithili in Bihar are now spoken only by small groups and are close to disappearing. This is not just in Bihar, more than 15 states in North India now primarily use Hindi. Instead of English, they use Hindi for communication, which is slowly replacing their native languages,” he adds.

Manickam points out that languages like Bengali, Odia, Marathi, Gujarati, Marwari, Punjabi, Assamese, and Kashmiri have deeply mixed with Hindi over the years. Many northern languages such as Maithili, Awadhi, Virasha, Malavi, Kurukshetra, Sauraseni, and Apabhramsa have also blended with Hindi, while older languages like Pali and Sanskrit have completely disappeared.

In the Northeast, the Andaman Islands, and the Himalayan regions, some languages are now spoken by fewer than 100 people. For instance, only five people speak the Great Andamanese language today, highlighting the rapid decline of once-thriving languages across the nation. Manickam emphasises that this loss is not just a matter of language; it represents the erasure of invaluable cultural heritage.

“In Tamil Nadu, some tribal languages in the Nilgiris district are at risk. These include Thoda, spoken by 1,006 people as per the 1981 census, Koda, by around 2,000 people in 1992, Kuruba spoken by over 14,000 people in 2001, and Koraga by over 16,000 people in 1981. The Toda community mainly speaks Thoda. The Badaga language, spoken by another tribal group, is doing better, with over 100,000 speakers in 2001,” he adds.

Manickam emphasises that a person’s mother tongue is shaped by a complex interplay of government policies, religion, and ethnicity. He observes that when those in power belong to a particular language group, there is often an attempt to suppress or eliminate other languages.

He further asserts that languages and their scripts are integral to a society’s history. Forcing people to abandon their native languages for a single imposed language is not only unfair but also a form of cultural erasure.

“Languages are a natural gift and to destroy them is to destroy a piece of our very identity and heritage and a mother and a mother tongue are like divine guides. History has shown that those who try to destroy them will eventually disappear,” Manickam adds.