Nepali language movement explained

Nepali Language Movement
Partof:	Language conflict in India
Time-End:	20 August 1992
Place:	Darjeeling, Kalimpong and Sikkim regions of India
Goals:	Recognition of Nepali language in the Indian constitution
Result:	Nepali language listed in the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India
Side1:	Government of India
Side2:	Indian Gorkhas

The Nepali Language Movement was a political movement in the Republic of India advocating the recognition of the Nepali language as a language with official status in India.^{[1] [2]} On 20 August 1992, the Lok Sabha passed a motion to add the Nepali language to the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India.^[3] According to an estimate in 2017, in India there about 40 million Nepali-language speaking Indians.^[4]

Nepali Bhasa Manyata Diwas

Annually, Indian Gorkhas celebrate Nepali Language Recognition Day (officially Nepali Bhasha Manyata Diwas) on 20 August.^{[5] [6]} The day is celebrated by organizing parades, literary and cultural programmes throughout India in places with significant Nepali speaking population. The same day is also celebrated as the Meitei Language Day (aka Manipuri language day) as both Nepali and Meitei language (officially called Manipuri language) get the "official language" status at the same time.^{[7] [8]}

Sister movements

During the same time, there was Meitei language movement. Both the Nepali and Meitei language movements get their goals on the same day, with the declaration of Nepali language and Meitei language (officially termed as "Manipuri language") as the official languages of India.^{[9] [10]}

Current movements

There is also an ongoing movement to create a Nepali-speaking Gorkhaland state in India.^{[11] [12]}

See also

• Gorkhaland Territorial Administration

Further reading

• Web site: Chhetri . Rasik . Nepali 'Bhasa Andolan': Re-telling the Story (Nepali Language Movement) . 19 October 2022 . Indian Gorkhas.
• Web site: Desk . TheDC News . 12 November 2017 . Nepali 'Bhasa Andolan': Re-telling The Story . 19 October 2022 . The Darjeeling Chronicle . en-GB.
• Web site: 18 August 2018 . SPECIAL ARTICLE: Darjeeling’s Nepali Bhasha Andolan, Circa 1960s – Part II . 19 October 2022 . The Darjeeling Chronicle . en-GB.
• Web site: Nepali becomes one of the official languages of India . 19 October 2022 . Nepali language.

Notes and References

1. Web site: 23 April 2016 . Nepali and Darjeeling: The importance of the language in Gorkhaland movement . 19 October 2022 . The Indian Express . en.
2. Web site: 19 June 2017 . Darjeeling, India's Nepali language hub . 19 October 2022 . The Indian Express . en.
3. Web site: Struggle for Recognition of Nepali Language: A Brief Outline . 19 October 2022 . Sikkim Express . en.
4. Web site: Chapagain . Bhim . 13 June 2017 . Darjeeling locals on warpath after Bengali is made a compulsory subject . 19 October 2022 . My Republica . en.
5. Web site: Dhungel . Pankaj . 21 August 2021 . Three decades after recognition, Nepali language struggles for identity . 19 October 2022 . EastMojo . en-US.
6. Web site: Darjeeling celebrates Bhasha Diwas . 19 October 2022 . The Telegraph (India).
7. Web site: English Releases . pib.gov.in . Thereafter three more languages viz, Konkani, Manipuri and Nepali were included in 1992..
8. Web site: 30th Manipuri Language Day observed : 21st aug21 ~ E-Pao! Headlines . e-pao.net.
9. Web site: English Releases . pib.gov.in . Thereafter three more languages viz, Konkani, Manipuri and Nepali were included in 1992..
10. Web site: 30th Manipuri Language Day observed : 21st aug21 ~ E-Pao! Headlines . e-pao.net.
11. Web site: India – Gorkhaland . 19 October 2022 . Country Studies.
12. Web site: Daniyal . Shoaib . 30 September 2017 . Reviving Gorkhaland: How language identity and ethnic strife is driving violence in Darjeeling . 19 October 2022 . Scroll.in . en-US.