India is a big, diverse country known for its long past, many languages, and rich culture. More than 1.4 billion people live in India, and they speak many different languages. Every tongue has its own history and way of being used. In this blog, we’ll look at the 15 languages spoken by the most people in India, based on how many people speak them. This will help you understand what’s so interesting about India’s mix of languages.
Hindi
The majority of people in India speak Hindi. It is the first language of about 43% of Indian people, and it is the official language of the Indian government.
Number of Speakers: Approximately 609 million (Source: Wikipedia Ethnologue, 2023)
Official Language: India’s official language, widely spoken in North India.
Bengali
Bengali is mostly spoken in the Indian states of West Bengal and the east. It is the second most common language spoken in the country, and people have been writing in it for a long time.
Number of Speakers: Approximately 273 million (Source: Wikipedia Ethnologue, 2023)
Spoken mainly in: West Bengal, Tripura, and Assam.
Urdu
Most people who speak Urdu live in northern India. It is written in a mix of Persian and Arabic. It has a big effect on Indian music and poetry, especially.
Number of Speakers: Approximately 232 million (Source: Wikipedia Ethnologue, 2023)
Spoken mainly in: North India, especially Uttar Pradesh.
Marathi
It is the national language of Maharashtra and is spoken by many people in the western parts of India. There is a long history of art and society there.
Number of Speakers: Approximately 99 million (Source: Wikipedia Ethnologue, 2023)
Spoken mainly in: Maharashtra and surrounding regions.
Telugu
It is the main language of the southern states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Number of Speakers: Approximately 96 million (Source: Wikipedia Ethnologue, 2023)
Spoken mainly in: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, and some parts of neighboring states.
Tamil
It is the main language of Tamil Nadu, and some parts of Sri Lanka also speak it. People know it for its old books and musical music.
Number of Speakers: Approximately 87 million (Source: Wikipedia Ethnologue, 2023)
Spoken mainly in: Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, and Sri Lanka.
Gujarati
Gujarati is the language of Gujarat, but people from Gujarat speak it all over the world. It has its own script and a long history of writing.
Number of Speakers: Approximately 60 million (Source: Wikipedia Ethnologue, 2023)
Spoken mainly in: Gujarat and parts of Maharashtra and Rajasthan.
Kannada
Kannada is the state language of Karnataka, India, and it is spoken by a lot of people in southern India. It has been around since the beginning of time.
Number of Speakers: Approximately 59 million (Source: Wikipedia Ethnologue, 2023)
Spoken mainly in: Karnataka and some parts of neighboring states.
Punjabi
Punjabi is the language spoken by people in Punjab and other parts of northern India. It is known for folk songs like Bhangra.
Number of Speakers: Approximately 52 million (Source: Wikipedia Ethnologue, 2023)
Spoken mainly in: Punjab, Haryana, and parts of Delhi.
Odia
Odia is the main language of the Indian state of Odisha, which is in the east. It is written in a unique way and has a long past of art and literature.
Number of Speakers: Approximately 50 million
Spoken mainly in: Odisha and some parts of neighboring states.
Malayalam
The southern Indian state of Kerala speaks Malayalam. It has its own story and a movie business that is doing well.
Number of Speakers: Approximately 34 million
Spoken mainly in: Kerala and parts of Lakshadweep and Mahe.
Maithili
Most people who speak Maithili live in Bihar and parts of Nepal. It has been written for a long time.
Number of Speakers: Approximately 34 million
Spoken mainly in: Bihar, Jharkhand, and some parts of Nepal.
Assamese
Assam and the states to the north and northeast speak Assamese. It is known for its unique traditions and way of life.
Number of Speakers: Approximately 15.3 million
Spoken mainly in: Assam and parts of Arunachal Pradesh and Nagaland.
Kashmiri
Kashmiri is the language spoken in the Kashmir Valley, which is in the north of India. It is written in a special way and has been around for a long time.
Number of Speakers: Approximately 6.8 million
Spoken mainly in: The Kashmir Valley and some parts of Jammu and Kashmir.
Sanskrit
Not many people speak Sanskrit every day, but it has a special place in India because it was the classical language of old India and is the root of many modern Indian languages.
Number of Speakers: 25 K
While Sanskrit is not widely spoken as a mother tongue, it is learned and used in religious, academic, and traditional contexts across India.
These numbers give you an idea of how many Languages there are in India. Each language has its own culture and historical importance. India is one of the most culturally varied countries in the world. It has 22 national languages, and people speak several hundred different languages all over the country.
India’s many different languages show how diverse its culture and history are. These 15 languages are only a small part of the huge number of languages that make India such an interesting and unique country. Each language in India has its own history, culture, and role in making up the country’s character.
As you travel through India, you’ll see how beautiful these languages are and meet the people who love them. If you want to learn about writing, music, or history, India’s many languages are a great place to start.
