Nepali language movement


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. On 20 August 1992, the Lok Sabha passed a motion to add the Nepali language to the Eighth Schedule to the Constitution of India. According to an estimate in 2017, in India there about 40 million Nepali-language speaking Indians.

''Nepali Bhasa Manyata Diwas''

Annually, Indian Gorkhas celebrate Nepali Language Recognition Day on 20 August. 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 as both Nepali and Meitei language get the "official language" status at the same time.

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 as the official languages of India.

Current movements

There is also an ongoing movement to create a Nepali-speaking Gorkhaland state in India.