Classical languages of India
[3][5] Upon dropping the criteria for "original literary tradition", the Linguistic Expert Committee justified their decision by stating the following:[6] “We discussed it in detail and understood that it was a very difficult thing to prove or disprove as all ancient languages borrowed from each other, but recreated the texts in their own way.[3] Note that Sanskrit is considered living in the Indian classical context due to its widespread popularity and use, although it is extinct in the linguistic sense that it no longer has native speakers.The declared Classical languages (Sashtriya Bhasa) of the Republic of India: Assamese, Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Pali, Prakrit, Sanskrit, Tamil, and Telugu.The earliest known example of Maithili can be found in the Mandar Hill Sen inscription from the 7th century, which provides evidence of its ancient lineage.Maithili's rich literary heritage includes epic poetry, philosophical texts, and devotional songs, such as the works of the 14th-century poet Vidyapati.Despite its profound historical and cultural significance, Maithili has yet to be recognized as a "classical language" by the Government of India, leading to ongoing demands for such recognition.[42] A lawyer from the Madras High Court legally challenged against the official classical status of Malayalam and Odia, in 2015.