Perhaps the most important and distinguishing feature of this ancient land that we know as Bharat is that, it was not born out of or as a result of wars, treaties, redrawing of maps or petty economic and political squabbles. This is a civilisation that has evolved over thousands of years. A story that is woven around its cultural, social and spiritual processes. The most remarkable feature of this unique narrative is also that all corners of this vast country relate so easily with each other even though the physical distance may be vast and geographic location hugely different.
We must also take note of how India has confronted invasions almost without a break for over a thousand years. As Sri Aurobindo puts it: "...It (India) has absorbed all that has entered and welded the most diverse elements into its fundamental unity..." (Foundations of Indian Culture) Unlike the earlier invaders, the Europeans, (the British in particular) attempted to delink India from its cultural and spiritual roots. One important course adopted by the colonial rulers was the imposition of Euro-centric languages. To achieve this, it became necessary for the colonial rulers to hit at the roots of the Indian language system and all that it represented. In this context, it is important to appreciate that this beautiful interwoven fabric of the Bharatiya languages had evolved in sync with India's ancient civilisational ethos.
This volume is a collection of papers contributed by scholars from across the country. Even as the papers cover a wide range of themes the overriding context reflects on the linguistic and civilisational linkages that have symbolised and been representative of India through the ages. Indeed, Bharat's Bhasha-Parampara or language tradition is among the most profound in the world, rich not only in the number of languages spoken but also in the continuous flow of thought, expression, and shared meaning across regions and communities. The very idea of Bharatiya Bhasha Pariwar springs from this living truth: those Indian languages have not grown in isolation, but have evolved together, as one large whole within a shared culture. Their development has been shaped through years of interconnectedness and mutual understanding. It is this that distinguishes Indian languages from Eurocentric languages for example among which the trends are divisive and separatist.
This volume is a research based theoretical response to inherited frameworks that viewed Indian languages through foreign lenses. A method of assessment that was innately flawed, failing to appreciate the deep foundations of Bharatiya languages. The papers challenge the artificial boundaries and offer insights rooted in a system of intellectual values that are Bharatiya in letter and spirit. The contributors explore the journey of Indian languages through research that spans historical perspectives, cognitive pathways, mother tongue discourses, grass root learning, literary translations, emerging digital spaces and language-based policies that are now being adopted with great care.
As Bharat steps into Amrit Kaal, the National Education Policy 2020 has opened new possibilities for restoring Indian languages to their rightful place in our knowledge systems. The papers in this collection offer valuable new insight and a new course that places the understanding of our languages in clearer perspective. This compilation serves not only as a scholarly source but also as a reminder that our languages are not separate threads, but woven strands of one shared fabric.
This is an excellent compilation that would be of interest for the subject specialist as also for readers who are interested in a more general manner in the evolution, growth and use of our languages. The contributing scholars deserve all our appreciation.
India's linguistic heritage is seen as one of the oldest, richest, and most diverse in the world. Yet the important aspect to be noted is the unity beneath this surface diversity lies a deep civilisational unity. The concept of Bharatiya Bhasha Pariwar (BBP), the Indian Language Family, is a recognition of this unity: a living network of Indian languages that, while distinct, share common roots. It is this civilisational vision that inspired a series of national seminars by Bharatiya Bhasha Samiti in 2024 and early 2025, bringing together scholars, linguists, educationists, philosophers, and literary figures. These conferences were convened with the shared goal of exploring, debating, and affirming the idea that India's languages are not isolated silos but interwoven expressions of a common heritage. The conferences aimed to move beyond colonial frameworks that fragmented Indian linguistic traditions and instead foreground a native, inclusive understanding of India's linguistic landscape.
This volume is the outcome of those scholarly exchanges. Comprising a selection of 21 insightful papers as collection of idea in one volume, it brings together voices from across linguistic regions, interdisciplinary backgrounds, and cultural contexts, each contributing to a larger vision: that India's linguistic diversity is not a hindrance but a vibrant manifestation of cognitive and cultural unity; From Tamil Nadu to Kashi, the linguistic traditions are an interwoven strands within the living fabric of the Bharatiya Bhasha Pariwar. The idea of Bharatiya Bhasha Pariwar is both civilisational and contemporary.
It recognises the unity of Indian languages while acknowledging their deep historical interconnectedness, structurally, philosophically, and spiritually. This unity is organic; it is neither political nor imposed. It has emerged over centuries through shared storytelling, oral traditions, literary epics, philosophical discourse, and mutually intelligible linguistic and scriptural frameworks.
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