Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Amit Shah on Thursday addressed the Golden Jubilee Celebration of the Department of Official Language in New Delhi as the Chief Guest, highlighting the pivotal role of Indian languages in fostering national pride and unity. The event, attended by dignitaries including Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Vice Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Official Language Bhartruhari Mahtab, Rajya Sabha MP Sudhanshu Trivedi, and Secretary of the Department of Official Language Smt. Anshuli Arya, marked 50 years of the department’s efforts to promote Indian languages in governance.
Shah emphasized that the 50-year journey of the Department of Official Language, from 1975 to 2025, will be remembered as a golden chapter in India’s quest to revive its self-respect. He noted that the department was established to ensure governance reflects the linguistic identity of the nation’s citizens, awakening national pride. “Language is not just a medium of communication but the soul of a nation,” Shah said, stressing that no country can preserve its culture, history, or values without nurturing its languages. He underscored the need for governance in mother tongues to align with India’s cultural ethos and propel the nation forward with self-respect.
Reflecting on Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, Shah highlighted the unprecedented boost to Indian languages in technology, education, and administration over the past 11 years. He cited initiatives like the “Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat” program, which has fostered unity through events such as Kashi-Tamil Sangamam, Kashi-Telugu Sangamam, Saurashtra-Tamil Sangamam, Shashwat Mithila Mahotsav, and Bhasha Sangam. The Bhasha Sangam initiative, teaching students 100 common sentences in the 22 constitutionally recognized languages, was described as a transformative step to strengthen linguistic unity. Shah predicted that this initiative would grow into a “vast banyan tree,” revitalizing Indian languages.
The Union Home Minister also praised the creation of the “Hindi Shabdsindhu,” a significant effort to make Hindi more flexible and inclusive by incorporating commonly used words, regardless of their origin. He expressed confidence that this initiative would enrich Hindi and foster connections with other Indian languages. Additionally, Shah highlighted the establishment of the Bharatiya Bhasha Anubhag, which aims to ensure that state and central administrations operate in Indian languages. He emphasized that Hindi is a “friend” to all Indian languages, working together to elevate national pride.
Shah noted significant strides in education, with technical education now offered in 12 Indian languages and Madhya Pradesh pioneering medical education in Hindi. He urged other states to follow suit, ensuring access to professional education in regional languages. The recognition of Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali as classical languages under Modi’s tenure was cited as a testament to the government’s commitment to linguistic diversity, with India now boasting 11 classical languages—a unique achievement globally.
The New Education Policy (NEP) 2020 was hailed as a visionary framework, emphasizing mother tongue education up to Classes 5 and 8. Shah highlighted that 104 primary-level books have been translated into 22 languages across states and union territories, alongside educational content in 29 languages on over 200 TV channels and 366,000 e-content modules in 133 dialects on the DIKSHA platform. The Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) constable exams, now conducted in Indian languages with 95% of applicants opting for their mother tongue, were cited as evidence of the bright future for Indian languages.
Shah also commended the Department of Official Language for its efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, including e-training in Hindi language skills, which has now been regularized. The Parliamentary Committee on Official Languages published three volumes in the last four years, a significant achievement compared to the nine volumes published before 2014.
The Home Minister concluded by stressing the department’s goal to make Indian languages the preferred medium for youth through the Bharatiya Bhasha Anubhag. He rejected attempts to use language as a divisive tool, asserting that Indian languages must unite the nation. Under Prime Minister Modi’s leadership, Shah said, the foundation is being laid for a developed India by 2047, with enriched and widely used Indian languages at its core.
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