A landmark collection of 55 literary works in India’s classical languages was released on 6 January in New Delhi. The compilation includes 41 books developed by the centres of excellence for classical languages under the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL) and 13 publications—along with a Tirukkural sign language series—brought out by the Central Institute of Classical Tamil (CICT).
The newly released works span Tamil, Odia, Malayalam, Telugu, Kannada, and Indian sign language, reflecting India’s rich linguistic and cultural heritage. This initiative is part of a broader national effort to integrate classical Indian languages into education and research, fostering cultural pride while deepening engagement with the country’s knowledge traditions.
Speaking at the launch, Union minister for education Dharmendra Pradhan highlighted that under the leadership of prime minister Narendra Modi, the government has taken significant steps to promote and preserve Indian languages—from expanding the list of scheduled languages to translating classical texts and promoting education in mother tongues. He remarked that Indian languages have stood the test of time despite historical challenges and continue to embody the country’s civilizational strength.
Emphasizing India’s linguistic diversity, Pradhan noted that it is the collective responsibility of society to preserve and celebrate the nation’s historical, cultural, and literary wealth for future generations. He described languages as a unifying force, reaffirming the Prime Minister’s view that all Indian languages are national languages.
The minister lauded the inclusion of the Tirukkural in Indian sign language as a step toward building an inclusive India, ensuring that access to knowledge transcends barriers. He called the initiative a valuable contribution to India’s intellectual and literary landscape.
Pradhan said the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 advances the vision of education in Indian languages, reinforcing India’s status as a vibrant example of unity in diversity. In contrast to the colonial-era Macaulay mindset, he said, Indian civilization has always viewed languages as bridges of dialogue and cultural harmony.
The minister extended his appreciation to the Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti, the Centres of Excellence, the CIIL, and the CICT for their continued efforts to promote Indian languages and classical scholarship.
The event was attended by Vineet Joshi, secretary (higher education), ministry of education; Chamu Krishna Shastry, chairman, Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti; Shailendra Mohan, director, CIIL; R Chandrasekaran, director, CICT; Manmohan Kaur, advisor (Cost); and other senior officials.
