The Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) held a conference of Buddhist monks and scholars in Colombo on granting Pali the status of a classical language by the Indian government. 

India Recognizes 11 Classical Languages, Highlights Pali’s Role in Buddhist Heritage

• International Participation: Buddhist monks and scholars from Sri Lanka, Nepal, Myanmar, and Bangladesh attended the event.
• Significance of Pali: Scholars highlighted the importance of Pali in preserving the “Dhamma” and promoting Buddhist practices.
• Recognition of India’s Role: Scholars commended India’s decision, seeing it as a commitment to preserving Buddhist heritage and culture.
• Recent Government Approval: On October 3, the Indian government granted classical language status to Marathi, Bengali, Assamese, Pali, and Prakrit.
  • Now there are Total 11 classical Languages recognised by the Indian Government.

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About ICCR

• Nodal Ministry: Ministry of External Affairs
• Founded: It was established in 1950 by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad
• Aim: To promote Indian culture and values internationally and foster cultural exchanges with other countries
• It is also responsible for facilitating the International Day of Yoga celebrations by Indian Missions/Posts abroad since 2015
• Awards: Instituted awards to honour foreign nationals for contributions in various fields, including:
  • Indologist Award
  • World Sanskrit Award
  • Gisela Bonn Award