Amit Shah Celebrates 50 Years of Dept of Official Language, Pushes for Unity

In his keynote speech, Shri Amit Shah called the 50-year journey of the Department of Official Language a cornerstone of the nation’s cultural resurgence.

In a spirited tribute to linguistic unity and cultural self-respect, Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation, Shri Amit Shah, addressed the Golden Jubilee Celebration of the Department of Official Language in the national capital today. The event, marking 50 years since the department’s establishment in 1975, was held with grandeur at a time when India celebrates 75 years of independence and looks ahead to its centenary in 2047.

The event, held in New Delhi, was graced by several eminent dignitaries including Delhi Chief Minister Smt. Rekha Gupta, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Shri Bandi Sanjay Kumar, Vice Chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Official Language Shri Bhartruhari Mahtab, Rajya Sabha MP Shri Sudhanshu Trivedi, and Secretary of the Department of Official Language Smt. Anshuli Arya.

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Department’s 50-Year Journey: From Policy to Pride

In his keynote speech, Shri Amit Shah called the 50-year journey of the Department of Official Language a cornerstone of the nation’s cultural resurgence. He highlighted that the department was founded to bring administration closer to the citizens by promoting governance in Indian languages.

“A country that does not govern in its own languages will always lag behind in preserving its culture, heritage, and self-esteem,” Shah declared.

He emphasized that the use of Indian languages in administration is not merely a procedural reform but a restoration of national dignity, allowing citizens to think, analyze, and decide in their own linguistic frameworks—a crucial step in breaking free from colonial mindsets.

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Language as a Unifier, Not Divider

Addressing the long-standing debates around linguistic diversity, Shri Shah asserted that Hindi is not an adversary but a friend to all Indian languages. He introduced the newly formed Bharatiya Bhasha Anubhag, a division within the department that will ensure that state and central governance is accessible in Indian languages, reinforcing unity without erasing diversity.

“Language should be a tool to connect India, not divide it. The future of Indian unity lies in linguistic respect and harmony,” he emphasized.

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Bhasha Sangam and National Integration

Shri Shah applauded the success of cultural exchanges under the Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat initiative, spearheaded by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Events such as the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam, Saurashtra-Tamil Sangamam, and Shashwat Mithila Mahotsav have created platforms for cultural immersion and understanding.

Through the Bhasha Sangam initiative, students in schools are now learning 100 common phrases in each of the 22 constitutionally recognized Indian languages, planting the seeds of linguistic empathy and cross-cultural literacy from a young age.

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Technological and Educational Milestones

The Union Home Minister celebrated the department’s major accomplishments in digital training and e-governance:

• Hindi Shabdsindhu, a dynamic and inclusive lexicon now recognizes commonly used words from various Indian languages as part of Hindi, enhancing its flexibility and accessibility.

• E-training programs in Hindi typing, stenography, and translation were successfully launched during the COVID-19 pandemic and have now been regularized.

He noted that technical and higher education in Indian languages is advancing:

• Engineering and medical education is now offered in 12 Indian languages

• Madhya Pradesh has launched full medical courses in Hindi

• Over 104 primary school books have been published in 22 regional languages

• Educational TV content is now available in 29 languages through more than 200 channels

• Indian Sign Language (ISL) textbooks for classes 1 to 12 have also been developed

On the DIKSHA platform, more than 366,000 e-resources are available in 133 dialects and languages, ensuring inclusive digital learning.

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Languages and Civil Services

In a major policy shift, the constable examination for the Central Armed Police Forces (CAPFs) is now conducted in multiple Indian languages, with over 95% of applicants choosing to take the exam in their mother tongue. This marks a significant stride in creating equitable opportunities in central recruitment processes.

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India’s Classical Language Legacy

India’s linguistic legacy now boasts 11 classical languages—a global record. During PM Modi's tenure, Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese, and Bengali were added to the list which already included Sanskrit, Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, and Odia.

“No other nation has this treasure trove of classical languages. It is our duty to preserve, promote, and enrich them,” Shah remarked.

Institutes such as the Central Institute of Classical Tamil and Kendriya Vidyalayas for Sanskrit are part of this larger framework to protect linguistic heritage.

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Parliamentary Oversight and Future Vision

The Parliamentary Committee on Official Language, despite the challenges of the COVID era, has published three volumes of its findings between 2019 and 2023, adding to the nine volumes published up to 2014. Shri Shah hailed this as a testament to policy continuity and resilience.

Looking ahead, he envisioned that by India’s centenary in 2047, Indian languages will be fully integrated into governance, education, technology, and public discourse, fulfilling the Panch Pran (five pledges) outlined by Prime Minister Modi—especially the pledge to break free from the colonial mindset.

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Final Words: A Linguistic Foundation for Viksit Bharat

Shri Amit Shah concluded by urging all stakeholders—governments, institutions, educators, and citizens—to work collectively in creating a linguistically self-reliant India. The foundation being laid today, he said, will help create a Viksit Bharat by 2047, where language becomes both the vessel and the voice of India’s identity, unity, and future aspirations.