The Government of India is actively engaged in promoting and preserving the country’s indigenous languages and cultural heritage.

Sahitya Akademi, an autonomous body under the Ministry of Culture, working for the promotion of Indian literature in 24 languages. The Akademi encourages the preservation and promotion of languages, not only the recognized languages but specially the unrecognized and tribal language of India.

In order to preserve and promote unrecognized and Tribal languages of India, Sahitya Akademi has been bestowing Bhasha Samman to the writers/scholars/researchers in these languages.

The Akademi celebrates the International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples on 9 August each year by organizing an All-India Tribal Writers’ Meet. To further preserve and promote oral and tribal literature, it has established dedicated centres in Agartala and Delhi. In the first edition of UNMESHA – the International Literature Festival (Shimla, 16-18 June 2022), around 30-35 tribal writers representing more than 25 tribal languages participated. The second edition (Bhopal, 3 to 6 August 2023), inaugurated by Hon’ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, featured over 575 writers from India and foreign, took part in 85 literary programmes, and almost 103 languages were represented.

The Government of India collaborates with state-level institutions to promote indigenous languages and literature. Sahitya Akademi, India’s premier literary institution, regularly partners with State Akademis, universities, and recognized literary organizations to organize regional programmes, seminars, and workshops for the promotion and development of both recognized and unrecognized Indian languages.

This information was given by Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in a written reply in Rajya Sabha today.

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Sunil Kumar Tiwari

pibculture[at]gmail[dot]com

(Release ID: 2153609)