The Indian States and their Languages
India is a country with many states, each with its language. This blog post will explore the different languages spoken in India and how they are unique to each state. From Hindi to Tamil and more, read about the diversity of Indian languages.
The Various States and Their Languages
India is a country with many different states, each with its own unique culture and language. While Hindi is the most widely spoken language in India, many other languages are spoken throughout the country. Here is a list of some of the more commonly spoken languages in India, along with the states where they are most prevalent:
- Hindi: Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Jharkhand
- Bengali: West Bengal, Tripura
- Marathi: Maharashtra, Goa
- Tamil: Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Puducherry
- Telugu: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana
- Gujarati: Gujarat, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu
- Kannada: Karnataka
- Malayalam: Kerala
- Oriya: Odisha
- Punjabi: Punjab
The Most Commonly Spoken Languages in India
India is a land of many languages. Twenty-two officially recognized languages and over 1,500 dialects are spoken throughout the country. Hindi is India’s most widely spoken language, followed by Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, and Urdu.
The Indian constitution recognizes 22 official languages: Assamese, Bengali, Bodo, Dogri, Gujarati, Kannada, Kashmiri, Konkani, Maithili, Malayalam, Manipuri (also called Meitei Mayek), Marathi, Nepali Oriya, Punjabi Santali Sanskrit Tamil Telugu, and Urdu. These languages are further divided into numerous dialects and sub-dialects.
Hindi is India’s most widely spoken language, with 41% of the population saying it as their first language. Bengali is India’s second most common language, with around 9%. Other popular languages include Telugu (8%), Marathi (7%), Tamil (5%), Urdu (4%), and Gujarati (4%).
The Importance of Learning Multiple Languages
The Indian States And Their Languages
Languages are the bedrock of any culture and society. They are how people communicate their thoughts, ideas, and feelings. Language is not only a mode of communication but also a tool for learning about other cultures and for developing one’s own identity.
Multilingualism is an essential asset in today’s globalized world. It opens up opportunities for employment, travel, and cultural enrichment. Learning multiple languages also helps cognitive development and enhances one’s creative ability.
In India, there are 22 officially recognized languages. Each state has its official language or languages used in government and education. However, due to the vast size of the country and its diverse population, many more languages are spoken throughout India.
Hindi is India’s most widely spoken language, with over 41% of the population saying it as their first language. Other widely spoken languages include Bengali (8%), Telugu (7%), Marathi (6%), Tamil (5%), Urdu (5%), Gujarati (4%), Kannada (3%), Malayalam (3%), Oriya (2%), Punjabi (2%), Assamese (1%), Kashmiri (1%) and Sindhi (1%). In addition, there are many tribal languages spoken by small populations in various parts of the country.
Given the linguistic diversity of India, it is not surprising that multilingualism is widespread.
Conclusion
There are 29 states in India, each with its official language. Hindi is the most widely spoken language in India, but many other languages are spoken throughout the country. In conclusion, if you want to learn more about the Indian states and their languages, this article is a great starting point.
Official Languages by States
State | Official Languages | Second Language |
Andhra Pradesh | Telugu | Hindi |
Arunachal Pradesh | English | Hindi |
Assam | Assamese | Bengali, Bodo |
Bihar | Hindi | Urdu |
Chhattisgarh | Hindi | Chhattisgarhi |
Goa | Konkani, English | Marathi |
Gujarat | Gujarati | Hindi |
Haryana | Hindi | English, Punjabi |
Himachal Pradesh | Hindi | Sanskrit |
Jharkhand | Hindi | Angika, Bengali, Bhojpuri, Ho, Kharia, Khortha, Kurmali, Kurukh, Magahi, Maithili, Mundari, Nagpuri, Odia, Santali and Urdu |
Karnataka | Kannada | English |
Kerala | Malayalam | English |
Madhya Pradesh | Hindi | Marathi |
Maharashtra | Marathi | Hindi |
Manipur | Manipuri | English |
Meghalaya | English | Khasi and Garo |
Mizoram | Mizo | English, Hindi |
Nagaland | English | Nagamese |
Odisha | Odia | English |
Punjab | Punjabi | - |
Rajasthan | Hindi | - |
Sikkim | English, Nepali, Sikkimese, Lepcha | Gurung, Limbu, Magar, Mukhia, Newari, Rai, Sherpa and Tamang |
Tamil Nadu | Tamil | English |
Telangana | Telugu | Urdu |
Tripura | Bengali, English, Kokborok | - |
Uttar Pradesh | Hindi | Urdu |
Uttarakhand | Hindi | Sanskrit |
West Bengal | Bengali, English | Nepali, Urdu, Hindi, Odia, Santali, Punajbi, Kamtapuri, Rajbanshi, Kurmali, Kurukh and Telugu |
Official Languages by Union Territories
Union Territories | Official Languages | Spoken Language |
Andaman and Nicobar Islands | Hindi, English | Bengali, Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Nicobarese, Malayalam, Sadri, Kurukh, Munda, Kharia |
Chandigarh | English | - |
Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu | Gujarati, Konkani, Marathi, Hindi | - |
Delhi | Hindi, English | Urdu and Punjabi |
Lakshadweep | Malayalam | English |
Jammu and Kashmir | Kashmiri, Dogri, Hindi, Urdu, English | |
Ladakh | Hindi, English | |
Puducherry | Tamil, French, English | Telugu and Malayalam |