Explore India’s linguistic diversity, scheduled languages and writing systems.
Explore Languages and Scripts of India
33 published topics in this knowledge domain.
Showing 22 of 22 matching topic(s).
Assamese
Assamese is a major language of Assam with a long literary history and a distinctive role in the cultural life of the Brahmaputra valley.
Bengali
Bengali is a major Indian language with a distinguished literary, musical and intellectual heritage, spoken widely in eastern India.
Bodo
Bodo is a major Tibeto-Burman language of Assam and adjoining regions with growing literary, educational and media traditions.
Dogri
Dogri is an Indian language associated especially with the Jammu region and supported by distinctive folk, literary and musical traditions.
Gujarati
Gujarati is a major Indo-Aryan language with a rich literary, mercantile, devotional and public tradition centred especially in Gujarat.
Hindi
Hindi is one of India’s most widely used languages and serves as an official language of the Union in the Devanagari script.
Kannada
Kannada is a classical Indian language with a long inscriptional and literary tradition and a central place in Karnataka’s cultural life.
Kashmiri
Kashmiri is an Indian language of the Kashmir Valley with distinctive literary, oral, musical and devotional traditions.
Konkani
Konkani is an Indian language associated with the Konkan coast and a diverse literary culture expressed in multiple scripts and regional varieties.
Maithili
Maithili is an Indian language of the Mithila region with a distinguished literary, devotional and folk heritage.
Malayalam
Malayalam is a major Dravidian language associated with Kerala and Lakshadweep, supported by rich literary, journalistic, theatrical and cinematic traditions.
Manipuri (Meitei)
Manipuri, also known as Meitei, is a major language of Manipur with a long literary and performance tradition and renewed use of Meitei Mayek.
Marathi
Marathi is a major Indo-Aryan language with deep literary, devotional, theatrical and public traditions, especially associated with Maharashtra.
Nepali
Nepali is an Indian scheduled language spoken widely in the Himalayan regions and supported by substantial literary and public traditions.
Odia
Odia is a classical Indian language with a long literary history and a central place in the cultural life of Odisha.
Punjabi
Punjabi is a major language of north-western India with influential literary, devotional, musical and popular-cultural traditions.
Sanskrit
Sanskrit is a classical Indian language with an extensive textual heritage in philosophy, literature, science, ritual, grammar and the arts.
Santali
Santali is a major Munda language spoken by Santal communities and supported by rich oral, musical and literary traditions, including use of Ol Chiki.
Sindhi
Sindhi is an Indian scheduled language with a rich literary and devotional heritage maintained across communities in India and the wider Sindhi diaspora.
Tamil
Tamil is a classical Indian language with a continuous literary tradition, vibrant contemporary use and a major cultural presence in India and beyond.
Telugu
Telugu is a major Dravidian language with an extensive literary history and a vibrant presence in Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, media and the arts.
Urdu
Urdu is a major Indian language with influential traditions of poetry, prose, journalism, theatre, film and shared cultural expression.