The Embassy of India in Riyadh marked a significant milestone by celebrating the Government of India’s recognition of Assamese, Bengali, Marathi, Pali, and Prakrit as classical languages. This celebration, held during the Pravasi Parichay 2024, attracted over 500 members from the Indian diaspora, underscoring the importance of preserving India’s linguistic and cultural heritage.
The event featured a 90-minute play that highlighted historical tales from these newly recognized languages, along with the other classical languages of India, including Sanskrit, Telugu, Malayalam, Tamil, and Kannada. The cultural showcase included poetry recitals, music, dance performances, and dialogues, all aimed at celebrating India’s diverse linguistic legacy. Curated by renowned Sanskrit scholar Sumana Naik, the program engaged the audience in exploring the deep connections among these classical languages.
Additionally, the embassy honored an Indian school teacher for their poetic recital in Pali and Prakrit. The event, praised by the diaspora community, emphasized the role of classical languages in maintaining India’s ancient traditions. This marks the second consecutive year that the embassy has hosted a cultural program as part of Pravasi Parichay, following last year’s classical Sanskrit event, which was highlighted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his “Mann Ki Baat” address.
