India is renowned for its linguistic and cultural diversity. Hundreds of languages and dialects have evolved here due to various historical, geographical, and social factors.
New Delhi: India is known for its linguistic and cultural diversity. Hundreds of languages and dialects have developed here due to various historical, geographical, and social factors. According to 2024 data, there are a total of 453 living languages in India, many of which are prevalent in various states as dialects.
How many languages are recognized in the Indian Constitution?
The Eighth Schedule of the Constitution currently grants official recognition to 22 languages. These languages are: Hindi, English, Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati, Malayalam, Kannada, Odia, Punjabi, Assamese, Maithili, Santhali, Kashmiri, Nepali, Konkani, Sindhi, Dogri, Manipuri, and Bodo.
This linguistic diversity in India enriches its culture, traditions, and literature. Hindi is the most spoken language, while languages like Tamil, Telugu, and Bengali are also spoken by millions.
English's Global Influence
According to the World Economic Forum (WEF), English has become the world's most influential language. Over 1.1 billion people speak English, and it is also an official language of the United Nations (UN). India's linguistic diversity makes it a unique confluence of culture and tradition. Many Indian languages possess rich literature and historical texts. Languages like Sanskrit, Tamil, and Pali are thousands of years old and preserve India's cultural heritage.
Most Spoken Languages in India
1. Hindi: 528,347,193 people speak Hindi, representing 43.63% of the population.
2. Bengali: 97,237,669 people speak Bengali, representing 8.03% of the population.
3. Marathi: 83,026,680 people speak Marathi, representing 6.86% of the population.
4. Telugu: 81,127,740 people speak Telugu, representing 6.70% of the population.
5. Tamil: 69,026,881 people speak Tamil, representing 5.70% of the population.
6. Gujarati: 55,492,554 people speak Gujarati, representing 4.58% of the population.
7. Urdu: 50,772,631 people speak Urdu, representing 4.19% of the population.
8. Kannada: 43,706,512 people speak Kannada, representing 3.61% of the population.
9. Odia: 37,521,324 people speak Odia, representing 3.10% of the population.
10. Malayalam: 34,838,819 people speak Malayalam, representing 2.88% of the population.
11. Punjabi: 33,124,726 people speak Punjabi, representing 2.74% of the population.
12. Assamese: 15,311,351 people speak Assamese, representing 1.26% of the population.
13. Maithili: 13,583,464 people speak Maithili, representing 1.12% of the population.
