Languages, Dialects and Oral Traditions: Preserving the Soul of Rural India
- According to the 2011 Census, India has 121 standardized mother tongues spoken by 10,000 or more people, while 22 languages are recognized under the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.
- The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 emphasizes mother tongue-based multilingual education in the foundational years to preserve local languages and indigenous knowledge systems.
- Santhali has been included in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution and possesses its own distinct Ol Chiki script, which has strengthened the linguistic identity of the Santhali community.
- India is home to more than 700 tribal communities, which preserve their rich agricultural, ecological, and medicinal knowledge through vibrant oral traditions.
