Nepali language movement

{{Short description|Movement for recognition of the Nepali language in India}}

{{Infobox protest

| title = Nepali Language Movement

| image = भाषा हाम्रो प्राण हो.svg

| caption = Bhāṣā hāmrō prāṇa hō ({{lang|ne|भाषा हाम्रो प्राण हो}}, trans. Language is our life), a slogan used during the movement.

| 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 ({{Langx|ne|नेपाली भाषा आन्दोलन}}) was a political movement in the Republic of India advocating the recognition of the Nepali language as a language with official status in India.{{Cite web |date=23 April 2016 |title=Nepali and Darjeeling: The importance of the language in Gorkhaland movement |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/nepali-language-west-bengal-darljeeling-gorkhaland-movement-gorkha-hills-2766764/ |access-date=19 October 2022 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=19 June 2017 |title=Darjeeling, India's Nepali language hub |url=https://indianexpress.com/article/explained/darjeeling-indias-nepali-language-hub-gorkhaland-sikkim-northeast-west-bengal-4710798/ |access-date=19 October 2022 |website=The Indian Express |language=en}} On 20 August 1992, the Lok Sabha passed a motion to add the Nepali language to the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India.{{Cite web |title=Struggle for Recognition of Nepali Language: A Brief Outline |url=http://www.sikkimexpress.com/news-details/struggle-for-recognition-of-nepali-language-a-brief-outline |access-date=19 October 2022 |website=Sikkim Express |language=en}} According to an estimate in 2017, in India there about 40 million Nepali-language speaking Indians.{{Cite web |last=Chapagain |first=Bhim |date=13 June 2017 |title=Darjeeling locals on warpath after Bengali is made a compulsory subject |url=http://myrepublica.nagariknetwork.com/news/21757/ |access-date=19 October 2022 |website=My Republica |language=en}}

''Nepali Bhasa Manyata Diwas''

Annually, Indian Gorkhas celebrate Nepali Language Recognition Day (officially Nepali Bhasha Manyata Diwas) on 20 August.{{Cite web |last=Dhungel |first=Pankaj |date=21 August 2021 |title=Three decades after recognition, Nepali language struggles for identity |url=http://www.eastmojo.com/news/2021/08/21/three-decades-after-recognition-nepali-language-struggles-for-a-definitive-identity/ |access-date=19 October 2022 |website=EastMojo |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Darjeeling celebrates Bhasha Diwas |url=https://www.telegraphindia.com/west-bengal/darjeeling-celebrates-bhasha-diwas/cid/1881392 |access-date=19 October 2022 |website=The Telegraph (India)}} 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.{{Cite web |title=English Releases |url=https://pib.gov.in/newsite/erelcontent.aspx?relid=5928 |website=pib.gov.in |quote=Thereafter three more languages viz, Konkani, Manipuri and Nepali were included in 1992.}}{{Cite web |title=30th Manipuri Language Day observed : 21st aug21 ~ E-Pao! Headlines |url=http://e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=7..210821.aug21 |website=e-pao.net}}

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.{{Cite web |title=English Releases |url=https://pib.gov.in/newsite/erelcontent.aspx?relid=5928 |website=pib.gov.in |quote=Thereafter three more languages viz, Konkani, Manipuri and Nepali were included in 1992.}}{{Cite web |title=30th Manipuri Language Day observed : 21st aug21 ~ E-Pao! Headlines |url=http://e-pao.net/GP.asp?src=7..210821.aug21 |website=e-pao.net}}

Current movements

There is also an ongoing movement to create a Nepali-speaking Gorkhaland state in India.{{Cite web |title=India – Gorkhaland |url=http://countrystudies.us/india/78.htm |access-date=19 October 2022 |website=Country Studies}}{{Cite web |last=Daniyal |first=Shoaib |date=30 September 2017 |title=Reviving Gorkhaland: How language identity and ethnic strife is driving violence in Darjeeling |url=https://scroll.in/article/840456/reviving-gorkhaland-how-language-identity-and-ethnic-strife-is-driving-violence-in-darjeeling |access-date=19 October 2022 |website=Scroll.in |language=en-US}}

Nepali language movement

''Nepali Bhasa Manyata Diwas''

Sister movements

Current movements

See also

References

Further reading