Panel for classical statusof Manipuri reconstituted

The Manipur government has reconstituted the State Level Committee tasked with pursuing the declaration of Manipuri (Meiteilon) as a Classical Language of India.
Governor Ajay Kumar Balla will serve as chairman of the committee, with Commissioner (Arts and Culture) H. Gyan Prakash as convener. An official order issued by the commissioner confirmed the reconstitution, aimed at strengthening the state’s efforts to secure classical language recognition for Manipuri.
The committee includes the state chief secretary, commissioner (education-school), vice-chancellor of Manipur University of Culture Prof. P. Gunindro, director of arts and culture, director of language planning and implementation, representatives from the departments of Linguistics and Manipuri at Manipur University, a representative of Manipur Sahitya Parishad, academicians Prof. W. Nabakumar, Prof. P. Nabachandra Singh and Prof. Ch. Yaswanta Singh, along with cultural activist Maisnam Shivadutta Luwang.
The Government of India created the category of “Classical Languages” in 2004, first conferring the status on Tamil. Since then, 11 languages have been recognized, including Sanskrit, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Odia, Marathi, Pali, Prakrit, Assamese and Bengali, with the latter five added in October 2024.
Manipur has long pressed for Manipuri’s inclusion in the list, citing its unique script and over two millennia of recorded history and literature. However, the language missed the opportunity when five others were granted classical status in October 2024. Scholars and politicians, including Rajya Sabha MP Leishemba Sanajaoba and former Union minister Dr. R.K. Ranjan, have consistently argued that Manipuri meets all criteria for recognition.
Two months prior to the 2024 declaration, then state education minister Th. Basanta Kumar had announced that a draft proposal was ready for submission to the Centre.
However, Union Minister of Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat later informed Parliament that no proposal had been received from the Manipur government for consideration of Manipuri as a Classical Language.