Column|Kiran Rijiju On How Link Language is a Necessary Bridge

India is perhaps the only country in the world where diversity is not merely a characteristic—it is the very foundation of nationhood. Our Constitution recognises this reality by respecting and celebrating the rich tapestry of languages spoken across the country. Every Indian language, whether spoken by millions or by a small community, is a repository of history, literature, traditions and collective memory. Each language is a source of pride for its people and an integral part of India’s civilisational heritage. Preserving and promoting this extraordinary linguistic diversity is, therefore, a national responsibility.

At the same time, the sheer diversity that enriches India also presents a practical challenge. In a nation of over 1.4 billion people, spread across 28 states and eight Union Territories, people must be able to communicate with one another beyond the boundaries of their own linguistic regions. Students travel across states for education, professionals move for employment, businesses expand across the country, tourists explore every corner of India and government officials work in different parts of the nation. Such interactions become easier when there is a language that people from different linguistic backgrounds can commonly understand. This is the role of a link language.

A link language should never be viewed as a substitute for one’s mother tongue. Nor should it be seen as a competitor to any regional language. Its purpose is simply to facilitate communication between people who speak different languages. It is a bridge that connects, not a force that replaces. Across the world, multilingual societies have recognised the practical value of a common language while simultaneously protecting and nurturing their linguistic diversity. India, with its unique pluralism, can certainly achieve the same balance.

In India, any language that is widely understood across regions can serve as a link language by enabling people from different linguistic backgrounds to communicate with one another. In many parts of the country, Hindi has naturally evolved to play this role because of decades of social interaction, mobility, education, cinema, media and public life. Equally, wherever another commonly understood language serves this purpose, it too contributes to strengthening communication and national integration. The essential idea is not the primacy of any particular language, but the practical value of a commonly understood language that connects people while fully respecting every mother tongue. 

My own experience from Arunachal Pradesh reinforces this understanding. Arunachal Pradesh is one of India’s most linguistically diverse states, home to numerous tribes and communities, each with its own language, dialect and unique cultural traditions. These languages are deeply cherished and continue to define the identity of their respective communities. Yet, when people belonging to different tribes interact with one another, a commonly understood language becomes the medium of communication. In practice, Hindi has often fulfilled this role there, enabling dialogue across communities without diminishing the importance or vitality of their mother tongues. 

This experience demonstrates an important truth. The acceptance of a link language does not require the abandonment of local languages. One strengthens identity; the other strengthens connectivity. These two objectives complement each other rather than conflict.

No to Binaries

The debate on language should therefore move away from binaries. It should never become a question of one language versus another. India’s linguistic diversity is too precious to be viewed through the lens of competition. Every Indian language deserves equal dignity and equal opportunity to flourish. Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali, Assamese, Marathi, Gujarati, Punjabi, Odia, Manipuri, Kashmiri, Sanskrit, Urdu, Dogri, Bodo, Santali, Maithili, Konkani, Nepali, Sindhi and the countless tribal and regional languages spoken across the country are all invaluable parts of India’s shared heritage.

Recognising the value of a commonly understood link language should never be interpreted as diminishing the status of any other language. Nor should the growth and preservation of regional languages be viewed as being in conflict with such an approach. These objectives are entirely compatible and reinforce one another by strengthening both national integration and cultural diversity.  

Language should unite hearts, not divide opinions. The spirit of ‘Ek Bharat, Shreshtha Bharat’ is built on celebrating our differences while strengthening our shared national identity. This lived experience convinces me that our commitment must be twofold: to preserve and promote every Indian language with equal respect, and at the same time to encourage a widely understood link language that enables citizens from every corner of the country to communicate with one another. The strength of India lies not in speaking one language, but in speaking to one another. If every mother tongue represents the soul of a community, then a link language represents the bridge that connects those souls. Let every Indian language flourish with pride, and let any widely accepted link language continue to strengthen the bonds of national unity while fully respecting the dignity, identity and heritage of every linguistic community.

(Views expressed are personal)

Kiren Rijiju Union Min. of Parliamentary & Minority Affairs

(This story appeared in Outlook magazine’s August 31 issue, 'Whose Idea of India?', in which India’s noted public intellectuals, policymakers, cultural practitioners, political leaders, scholars and economists write in detail about the idea of India they believe can best secure the nation’s future as we celebrate 80 years of independence.)