Sentinel Digital Desk
India is a land of remarkable linguistic diversity, with dozens of languages spoken throughout its vast territory. Several of them stand out due to the high proportion of native speakers. Here are the top ten most commonly spoken languages in India:
Hindi is the most commonly spoken language in India, with more than 528 million native speakers. It is the official language of the central government.
Bengali is the second most spoken language in India with over 97 million speakers. It is mostly spoken in the state of West Bengal and Northeastern states.
With over 83 million speakers, Marathi comes in at number three on the list. It is the official language of Maharashtra.
Telugu, spoken by nearly 81 million people, is predominantly used in the Andhra Pradesh and Telangana states. Telugu, which is known for its traditional literature and poetry, is a significant language in India.
Tamil, which has about 69 million speakers, is mostly spoken in Tamil Nadu and the Union Territory of Puducherry. It is also the official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore.
With over 55 million speakers, Gujarati is the official language of Gujarat. It has a substantial presence in the Indian diaspora, particularly in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Urdu has more than 50 million speakers and is extensively spoken throughout India, particularly in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Telangana, and West Bengal.
Kannada is Karnataka's official language, spoken by roughly 43 million people. The language has a rich literary legacy, and Karnataka has a thriving film industry that produces a number of Kannada-language films every year.
Odia, spoken by more than 37 million people, is Odisha's official language. It has been classified as a classical language due to its extensive history and literary heritage.
With nearly 34 million speakers, Malayalam is mostly spoken in Kerala, as well as the Union Territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry.