22 Official Languages of India – A Symbol of Unity in Diversity

22 Official Languages of India – List, History, and “Mera Bharat Mahan” in All Languages

India is one of the most linguistically diverse countries in the world. The Eighth Schedule of the Indian Constitution officially recognizes 22 languages, reflecting the cultural and linguistic richness of the country. These languages are used in government communication, education, public administration, and official purposes.

Let’s explore these languages in detail, their origins, significance, and how we say “Mera Bharat Mahan” in each of them.

Read this: Bhojpuri, Magahi, and Maithili: The Linguistic Tapestry of Bihar

🗓️ Historical Background

When the Indian Constitution came into force in 1950, it originally recognized 14 languages under the Eighth Schedule. Over time, this list was expanded through constitutional amendments, and as of now, there are 22 official languages.

These languages are recognized under Article 344(1) and Article 351 of the Indian Constitution.

List of 22 Official Languages of India (with “Mera Bharat Mahan” Translation)

Here’s the list of all 22 official languages, along with their script, region/state, and the translation of the patriotic phrase “Mera Bharat Mahan” (My India is Great).

S.No	Language Name	Script	Widely Spoken In	“Mera Bharat Mahan”
1.	Assamese	Assamese	Assam	মোৰ ভাৰত মহান
2.	Bengali	Bengali	West Bengal, Tripura	আমার ভারত মহান
3.	Bodo	Devanagari	Assam (Bodoland)	मेरो भारत महाऩ
4.	Dogri	Devanagari	Jammu & Kashmir	मेरा भारत महान
5.	Gujarati	Gujarati	Gujarat	મારું ભારત મહાન
6.	Hindi	Devanagari	Across India (official language)	मेरा भारत महान
7.	Kannada	Kannada	Karnataka	ನನ್ನ ಭಾರತ ಮಹಾನ್
8.	Kashmiri	Devanagari / Perso-Arabic	Jammu & Kashmir	میٖژ ہندوستان عظیم چھُ
9.	Konkani	Devanagari	Goa	माझो भारत महान
10.	Maithili	Devanagari	Bihar	हमर भारत महान
11.	Malayalam	Malayalam	Kerala	എന്റെ ഭാരതം മഹത്തായത്
12.	Manipuri (Meitei)	Meitei Mayek / Bengali	Manipur	ꯃꯦꯔꯥ ꯕꯍꯔꯥꯠ ꯃꯍꯅ
13.	Marathi	Devanagari	Maharashtra	माझा भारत महान
14.	Nepali	Devanagari	Sikkim, Darjeeling	मेरो भारत महान
15.	Odia	Odia	Odisha	ମୋର ଭାରତ ମହାନ
16.	Punjabi	Gurmukhi	Punjab	ਮੇਰਾ ਭਾਰਤ ਮਹਾਨ
17.	Sanskrit	Devanagari	Pan-India (Classical)	मम भारतः महान्
18.	Santali	Ol Chiki	Jharkhand, Odisha, WB	ᱢᱮᱨᱟ ᱵᱷᱟᱨᱟᱛ ᱢᱟᱦᱟᱱ
19.	Sindhi	Devanagari / Arabic	Rajasthan, Gujarat, Sindhi diaspora	मेरो भारत महान
20.	Tamil	Tamil	Tamil Nadu, Puducherry	என் இந்தியா மகத்துவம் வாய்ந்தது
21.	Telugu	Telugu	Andhra Pradesh, Telangana	నా భారత్ మహానుగా ఉంది
22.	Urdu	Perso-Arabic	Jammu & Kashmir, Telangana, UP	میرا بھارت مہان

Linguistic Diversity and Unity

India’s unity lies in its diversity, and languages are the backbone of cultural identity. The official recognition of these languages ensures:

• Cultural preservation
• Linguistic representation
• Equal access to government services
• Promotion of regional literature and media

🇮🇳 National Language vs Official Languages

Contrary to common belief, India does not have a “national language.” However, Hindi (in Devanagari script) and English are used for official purposes of the Union Government. The 22 languages in the Eighth Schedule are recognized for state and regional governance, judiciary, and education.

Importance in Competitive Exams and Governance

Knowledge about the 22 official languages is useful for:

• UPSC and state PSC exams
• Language policy understanding
• Multilingual governance and public communication
• Promoting cultural empathy and respect

Constitutional Amendments and Dates

Amendment	Year	Added Languages
21st	1967	Sindhi
71st	1992	Konkani, Manipuri, Nepali
92nd	2003	Bodo, Dogri, Maithili, Santali

Explore

• History of Indian Scripts: From Brahmi to Devanagari
• Kaithi Script (कैथी लिपि): A Forgotten Legacy of Bihar and UP
• The Hidden Meaning Behind Indian City Names: Understanding ‘Pur’, ‘Baad’, and More
• Why BHARAT (INDIA) Uses ‘Union of States’ Instead of a ‘Federation’

💬 Conclusion

The 22 official languages of India stand as a proud testament to our “Unity in Diversity.” While each state has its own linguistic identity, the shared values and pride in “Bharat” bind us all together.

Let us celebrate this diversity and cherish every language, for they carry the soul of our people.

मेरा भारत महान!