IANS/Thiruvananthapuram
Malayalam is all set to get the status of a classical Indian language, Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy said yesterday.
“Earlier, authorities did not hear our arguments properly. But when we presented our case with all documents, their stance changed and now it’s just a matter of time before Malayalam is granted the classical language status,” Chandy said at a public meeting in Alappuzha, some 150km from here.
Federal Culture Minister Chandresh Kumari also announced that the ministry has decided to grant the classical language status to Malayalam.
“The procedures are over and the proposal of the ministry has been sent to the union cabinet,” the minister said in New Delhi yesterday.
“The proposal has been accepted and what’s remaining is the formal approval and other technicalities,” said K C Joseph, the state’s culture minister. “This recognition is a great achievement, which will help in the development and preservation of the language and its heritage. The opportunities are tremendous.”
Academics, writers and researchers have long been demanding that Malayalam be included in the classical language category. Jnanpith award winner O N V Kurup said: “It’s just a matter of time before the world accepts Malayalam language.”
In 2010, Kurup had submitted a detailed report to the then Left Democratic Front government in Kerala, which argued that Malayalam met all criteria set for a classical language.
Spoken by over 30mn people, Malayalam is the only major language in south India that has not been classified as a classical language.