According to the Census of India of 2001, India has 122 major languages and 1599 other languages. However, figures from other sources vary, primarily due to differences in the definition of the terms "language" and "dialect". The 2001 Census recorded 30 languages which were spoken by more than a million native speakers and 122 which were spoken by more than 10,000 people.
~~~~~ ENGLISH ~~~~~
written and spoken widely, in most parts of India
~~~~~ ABOR ~~~~~
written in: Latin ... spoken in: Arunachal Pradesh ... Abor is one of the two groups of the various languages and dialects of the Adi people, other being Lhoba, spoken by Lobha people of south-eastern Tibet
~~~~~ ADI ~~~~~
written in: Latin ... spoken in: Arunachal Pradesh
~~~~~ AHOM ~~~~~
written in: Ahom ... mainly used by priests and scholars for religious and educational purposes; spoken in: erstwhile Ahom kingdom (some part in present day Assam) ... other names for this language: Tai-Ahom
~~~~~ ANGAMI ~~~~~
written in: Latin ... spoken in: Nagaland ... other names for this language: Gnamei, Ngami, Tsoghami, Tsugumi, Monr, Tsanglo, Tenyidie
~~~~~ ANGIKA ~~~~~
written in: historically Anga Lipi, later Kaithi, presently Devanagari (अंगिका) ... spoken in: Bihar, Jharkhand ... other names for this language: Anga, Angikar, Chhika-Chhiki
~~~~~ AO ~~~~~
written in: Latin ... spoken in: Nagaland ... spoken by: Ao Naga people
~~~~~ APATANI ~~~~~
written in: Roman ... spoken in: Arunachal Pradesh ... other names for this language: Apa Tani, Tanw
~~~~~ ARABIC ~~~~~
written in:
Arabic (عَرَبِيّ) ... spoken in: various states of India ...
Wikipedia
~~~~~ ASSAMESE ~~~~~
written in: Assamese (অসমীয়া) ... spoken in: Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya
~~~~~ AWADHI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (अवधी/औधी), Perso-Arabic, Latin-Roman ... spoken in: Uttar Pradesh ... other names for this language: Audhi
~~~~~ BENGALI ~~~~~
written in: Bengali (বাংলা) ... spoken in: West Bengal, Assam, Jharkhand, Tripura, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
~~~~~ BHOJPURI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (भोजपुरी) ... spoken in: eastern Uttar Pradesh, western Bihar and northwestern Jharkhand
~~~~~ BHUTIA ~~~~~
written in: Tibetan (འབྲས་ལྗོངས་སྐད་) ... spoken in: Sikkim ... other names for this language: Sikkimese, Drenjongké, Dranjoke, Denjongka, Denzongpeke, Denzongke ... spoken by: Bhutia community of Sikkim
~~~~~ BISHNUPRIYA MANIPURI ~~~~~
written in: Bengali-Assamese (বিষ্ণুপ্রিয়া মণিপুরী) ... spoken in: Assam, Tripura, Manipur ... other names for this language: Bishnupriya Meitei
~~~~~ BODO ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari or Latin ... spoken in: Assam ... other names for this language: Boro
~~~~~ CHAKMA ~~~~~
written in: Chakma (𑄌𑄋𑄴𑄟𑄳𑄦 𑄞𑄌𑄴, Changhma Bhach), Latin, Bengali ... spoken in: Mizoram, Tripura, Arunachal Pradesh ... spoken by: the Chakma and Daingnet people
~~~~~ CHOKRI ~~~~~
written in: Latin ... spoken in: Nagaland, Manipur ... other names for this language: Chakhesang, Chakrü, Eastern Angami ... spoken by: Chakhesang Naga people
~~~~~ COORGI ~~~~~
written in: Kodava, Kannada (ಕೊಡವ), Malayalam (കൊഡവ) ... spoken in: Coorg district of Karnataka ... other names for this language: Codava, Kodava
~~~~~ DEORI ~~~~~
written in: Assamese (দেউৰী) ... spoken in: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam ... spoken by the Deori people (part of Bodo–Kachari people) ... other names for this language: Deuri
~~~~~ DIMASA ~~~~~
written in: Bengali-Assamese, Devanagari, Latin ... spoken in: Assam, Nagaland ... other names for this language: Hill Kachari
~~~~~ DOGRI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (डोगरी) ... spoken in: Jammu & Kashmir ... spoken by the Dogras
~~~~~ GALO ~~~~~
written in: Latin ... spoken in: Arunachal Pradesh
~~~~~ GARHWALI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (गढ़वळि) ... spoken in: Uttarakhand
~~~~~ GARO ~~~~~
written in: Roman, Bengali-Assamese, A-Chik Tok'birim ... spoken in: Meghalaya, Assam
~~~~~ GOJARI ~~~~~
written in: Takri, Perso-Arabic, Devanagari ... spoken in: Jammu and Kashmir, northern Punjab, Himachal Pradesh ... also spelt as: Gojri, Gujari, Gujri ... spoken by: nomadic community of Gurjar (or also known by other names: Gujjar, Gujar, Gurjara)
~~~~~ GONDI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (गोंडी), Gunjala Gondi, Masaram Gondi, Telugu ... spoken in: Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana ... native name of this language: Koitur
~~~~~ GUJARATI ~~~~~
written in: Gujarati (ગુજરાતી) ... spoken in: Gujarat, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu
~~~~~ GURUNG ~~~~~
written in: Khema, Devanagari (गुरुङ), Tibetan ... spoken in: Sikkim ... other names for this language: Tamu Kyi, Tamu Bhasha ... spoken by: Gurung or Tamu people
~~~~~ HADAUTI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (हाड़ौती or हाड़ोती) ... spoken in: Hadoti region (s-e Rajasthan), neighbouring areas of Madhya Pradesh ... other names for this language: Harauti or Hadoti
~~~~~ HAJONG ~~~~~
written in: Bengali-Assamese (হাজং), Latin ... spoken in: Assam, Meghalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, and West Bengal
~~~~~ HARYANVI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (हरियाणवी or हरयाणवी) ... spoken in: Haryana, Delhi
~~~~~ HINDI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (हिन्दी) ... spoken in: Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Uttarakhand
~~~~~ HMAR ~~~~~
written in: Roman (Hmar Hawrawp) ... spoken in: Mizoram, Manipur, Assam, Tripura, and Meghalaya
~~~~~ INPUI ~~~~~
written in: Roman ... spoken in: Manipur ... other names for this language: Puiron, spoken by Naga people in Manipur
~~~~~ JAINTIA ~~~~~
written in: Roman ... spoken in: Meghalaya, Assam ... exonyms: Jaintia, Synteng; endonym: Pnar
~~~~~ JHARUA ~~~~~
written in: Bengali-Assamese, Latin ... spoken in: Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Meghalaya, West Bengal ... a dialect of Assamese, spoken by Kochs and Hajongs
~~~~~ KACHARI ~~~~~
written in: Bengali-Assamese, Devanagari, Latin ... spoken in: Assam, Nagaland ... other names for this language: Cachari, Plains Kachari (Boro or Bara) and Hill Kachari (Dimasa)
~~~~~ KACHCHHI ~~~~~
written in: Gujarati (કચ્છી), Sindhi (ڪڇّي) ... spoken in: Kutch region of Gujarat
~~~~~ KANIKKARAN ~~~~~
written in: Tamil (கணிக்காரன்) OR Malayalam (കണ്ണിക്കാരൻ) ... spoken in: Kerala, Tamil Nadu ... spoken by Kanikkar tribals ... other names for this language: Kani
~~~~~ KANNADA ~~~~~
written in: Kannada (ಕನ್ನಡ) ... spoken in: Karnataka
~~~~~ KARBI ~~~~~
written in: Roman ... spoken in: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland ... other names for this language: Mikir or Arleng
~~~~~ KASHMIRI ~~~~~
written in: Koshur (Perso-Arabic كٲشُر), Devanagari (कश्मीरी), ... spoken in: Kashmir ... other names for this language: Koshur
~~~~~ KHAMTI ~~~~~
written in: Lik-Tai [Khamti variation of Burmese (တဲး)ၵမ်းတီႈ / (တဲး)ၵံးတီႈ] ... spoken by: Tai-Khampti people in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam ... other names for this language: Khampti
~~~~~ KHASI ~~~~~
written in: Latin (Khasi alphabet), Bengali-Assamese ... spoken in: Meghalaya, Assam
~~~~~ KHIAMNIUNGAN ~~~~~
written in: Latin ... spoken in: Nagaland ... other names for this language: Aoshedd, Kalyokengnyu, Khiamnga, Khiamngan, Nokaw, Tukhemmi, Welam ... spoken by: the Khiamniungan people
~~~~~ KINNAURI ~~~~~
oral language, written in: Devanagari (किन्नौरी) / Tibetan (ཀིནྣཽརཱི) ... spoken in: Kinnaur district of Himachal Pradesh ... many linguistic varieties ... spoken by Kinnaura people
~~~~~ KOCH ~~~~~
written in: Assamese, Bengali, Roman ... spoken in: Meghalaya, lower Assam, West Bengal, Bihar ... spoken by: Koch people, including Koch-Rajbongshi or Koch-Rajbonshi
~~~~~ KOKBOROK ~~~~~
written in: Koloma, Latin, Bengali–Assamese (ককবরক), Kokmari ... spoken in: Tripura ... other names for this language: Tripuri, Kokbarak, Tippera, Tipra, Trippera
~~~~~ KOL ~~~~~
written in: Warang Chiti (or Barang Kshiti, Varang Kshiti), Devanagari ... spoken in: Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal ... spoken by: Kol people
~~~~~ KONKANI ~~~~~
written in:
Devanagari (कोंकणी) /
Kannada (ಕೊಂಕಣಿ) / Malayalam (കൊങ്കണി) / Perso-Arabic (کونکنی) /
Romi (
Konknni) ... spoken in: Goa, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Kerala, Gujarat
~~~~~ KONYAK ~~~~~
written in: Latin ... spoken in: Nagaland ... spoken by: Konyak people
~~~~~ KUI ~~~~~
written in: Odia (କୁଇ) ... spoken in: Odisha ... spoken by the Kandhas ... other names for this language: Kandh, Khondi, Khond, Khondo, Kanda, Kodu, Kodulu, Kuinga, Kuy
~~~~~ KUKI ~~~~~
written in: Roman ... spoken in: Manipur, Assam, Nagaland ... other names for this language:Thado, Thado-Pao, Thado-Ubiphei, Thaadou Kuki
~~~~~ KULI ~~~~~
oral language; written in: Odia ... spoken in: western Odisha ... other names for this oral language and the tribe: Kulis, Kori
~~~~~ KUMAONI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari ... spoken in: Uttarakhand
~~~~~ Ladakh region ~~~~~
languages spoken: Ladakhi | Purgi | Hindi | Shina | Balti | Tibetan
~~~~~ LADAKHI ~~~~~
written in: Tibetan (ལ་དྭགས་སྐད་) ... spoken in: Ladakh
~~~~~ Lahaul and Spiti region ~~~~~
languages spoken: Lahuli (Stod Bhoti) | Spiti | Nyamkat | Bhoti Kinnauri | Tukpa (Nesang)
~~~~~ LEPCHA ~~~~~
written in: Lepcha (or Róng), Tibetan ... spoken in: Sikkim, West Bengal
~~~~~ LIMBU ~~~~~
written in: Limbu, Roman ... spoken in: Sikkim, West Bengal ... other names for this language: Yakthungpan ... spoken by: Limbu people
~~~~~ LOTHA ~~~~~
written in: Roman ... spoken in: Nagaland, Assam ... other names for this language: Chizima, Choimi, Hlota, Kyong, Lhota, Lutha, Miklai, Tsindir, and Tsontsii ... spoken by: the Lothas, also known as Kyongs
~~~~~ MAGADHI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari, Kaithi ... spoken in: Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal
~~~~~ MAITHILI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (मैथिली) ... spoken in: Bihar, Jharkhand
~~~~~ MALAYALAM ~~~~~
written in: Malayalam (മലയാളം) ... spoken in: Kerala, Lakshadweep
~~~~~ MALVANI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (मालवणी) ... spoken in: Maharashtra (only in the Sindhudurg district), north Goa (especially Pernem taluka) ... a dialect of Konkani with significant Marathi influences and loanwords
~~~~~ MANDIYALI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (मण्डियाली), Mandiali Takri a.k.a. Mandi-Suket Takri ... spoken in: Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh ... spoken by: Mandyali people ... other names for this language:Mandeali, Mandiali
~~~~~ MANIPURI ~~~~~
written in: Meiteilon (ꯃꯩꯇꯩꯂꯣꯟ), Bengali-Assamese ... spoken in: Manipur ... other names for this language: Meetei
~~~~~ MAO-NAGA ~~~~~
written in: Meitei, Latin ... spoken in: northwestern Manipur, Nagaland ... spoken by: Mao Naga people ... other names for this language: Sopvoma, Emela, Mao' La
~~~~~ MARATHI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (मराठी) ... spoken in: Maharashtra, Karnataka
~~~~~ MARING ~~~~~
written in: Meitei (ꯃꯔꯤꯡ) ... spoken in: Manipur ... spoken by Maring people ... not to be confused with the Maring language of New Guinea
~~~~~ MARWARI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (मारवाड़ी) ... spoken in: Rajasthan, Gujarat ... other names for this language: Marwadi
~~~~~ MECH ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari, Roman ... spoken by: Mech people (Bodos of north West Bengal)
~~~~~ MISHING ~~~~~
written in: Assamese, Devanagari, Latin ... spoken in: Assam, Arunachal Pradesh ... other names for this language: Mising, Plains Miri
~~~~~ MIZO ~~~~~
written in: Latin, Bengali-Assamese ... spoken in: Mizoram ... other names for this language: Lushai, Duhlian
~~~~~ MUNDARI ~~~~~
written in: Mundari Bani, Odia, Devanagari, Bengali, Latin ... spoken in: Jharkhand, Odisha
~~~~~ NAGAMESE ~~~~~
written in: Roman ... spoken in: Nagaland ... the Naga languages are a geographic and ethnic grouping of languages, spoken mostly by Naga peoples
~~~~~ NEPALI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (नेपाली) ... spoken in: Nepal, West Bengal, Assam, Sikkim
~~~~~ NYISHI ~~~~~
written in: Latin ... spoken in: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam ... spoken by the Daffla (or Dafla) tribe, now known as Nyishi tribe ... other names for this language: Nishi, Nisi, Nishang, Nissi, Nyising, Leil, Aya, Akang, Bangni-Bangru, Solung
~~~~~ ODIA ~~~~~
written in: Odia (ଓଡ଼ିଆ) ... spoken in: Odisha, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
~~~~~ PAHARI (or PAHADI) ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (पहाड़ी), Perso-Arabic (پہاڑی) ... variety of languages, dialects and language groups, spoken in Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand
~~~~~ PALI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (पालि) ... used by priests and scholars, the sacred language of Theravada Buddhism
~~~~~ PERSIAN ~~~~~
written in: Farsi (فارسی) ... almost a defunct language; spoken in: West Bengal, Jharkhand, Maharashtra, Bihar
~~~~~ PHOM ~~~~~
written in: Latin ... spoken in: Nagaland ... spoken by: the Phom Nagas
~~~~~ PRAKRIT ~~~~~
written in:
Brahmi,
Devanagari (प्राकृत) ... used all over India by priests and scholars, though at a lesser scale than Sanskrit ... read more about Prakrit in
Wikipedia - whether it is defined as a language OR a group of languages
~~~~~ PUNJABI ~~~~~
written in: Gurmukhi (ਪੰਜਾਬੀ) ... spoken in: Punjab
~~~~~ RABHA ~~~~~
written in: Assamese (ৰাভা), Bengali ... spoken in: Assam, Nagaland, West Bengal, Meghalaya
~~~~~ RAJASTHANI ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (राजस्थानी) ... spoken in: Rajasthan
~~~~~ RANGPURI ~~~~~
written in: Bengali-Assamese (রংপুরী, কোচ-ৰাজবংশী, দেশী), Devanagari (रंगपुरी) ... spoken in: Bangladesh, north Bengal, lower Assam ... other names for this language: Anchalit, Bahe, Deshi, Koch-Rajbongshi
~~~~~ RONGMEI ~~~~~
written in: Meitei ... spoken in: Manipur, Nagaland, Assam ... other names for this language: Ruangmei, Songbu ... spoken by the Rongmei Naga community (also known as Kabui people, Inpui people)
~~~~~ RENGMA ~~~~~
written in: Latin ... spoken in: Nagaland, Assam, Manipur ... other names for this language: Injang, Moiyui, Mon, Mozhumi, Nzong, Nzonyu, Southern Rengma, Unza, Western Rengma ... spoken by: the Rengma Nagas
~~~~~ SANSKRIT ~~~~~
written in: Devanagari (संस्कृतम्) ... used all over India by priests and scholars
~~~~~ SANTALI ~~~~~
written in: Ol Chiki (ᱥᱟᱱᱛᱟᱲᱤ), Bengali (সাঁওতালী), Odia (ସାନ୍ତାଳୀ), Devanagari (सान्ताली), Roman ... spoken in: Jharkhand, West Bengal, Odisha
~~~~~ SHERPA ~~~~~
spoken language; occasionally written using either the Devanagari or Tibetan script ... spoken in: Sikkim ... other names for this language: Sharpa, Sherwa, Xiaerba ... spoken by: the Sherpa people
~~~~~ SINDHI ~~~~~
written in: Perso-Arabic (سِنڌِي), Gujarati (સિંધી), Devanagari (सिन्धी) ... spoken in: Gujarat, Maharashtra, Rajasthan
~~~~~ SORA ~~~~~
written in: Sora Sompeng or Odia, Telugu, Latin ... spoken in: Odisha, north coastal Andhra Pradesh ... spoken by: the Sora people, alternative names and spellings include Saora, Saura, Savara and Sabara
~~~~~ SÜMI ~~~~~
written in: Latin ... spoken in: Nagaland, Assam ... other names for this language: Sema ... spoken by: the Sümi Naga people
~~~~~ TAGIN ~~~~~
written in: Roman ... spoken in: Arunachal Pradesh ... other names for this language: West Dafla, Bangni ... spoken by: Tagin people or Ghasi Miri people
~~~~~ TAI AITON ~~~~~
written in: Burmese (Aiton variation, called Lik-Tai), Assamese ... spoken in: Assam ... Tai family of languages spoken in nort-east India: Tai Ahom, Tai Phake, Tai Aiton, Tai Turung, Tai Khamyang and Tai Khamti
~~~~~ TAMIL ~~~~~
written in: Tamil (தமிழ்) ... spoken in: Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andaman & Nicobar Islands
~~~~~ TANGKHUL ~~~~~
written in: Latin, Meitei (ꯇꯥꯡꯈꯨꯜ) ... spoken in: Manipur, Nagaland ... spoken by: Tangkhul people
~~~~~ TANGSA ~~~~~
written in: Tangsa, Latin ... spoken in: Arunachal Pradesh, Assam ... other names for this language: Tase and Tase Naga ... spoken by: Tangshang people or Tangsa Naga
~~~~~ TELUGU ~~~~~
written in: Telugu ( తెలుగు) ... spoken in: Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Puducherry
~~~~~ TIBETAN ~~~~~
written in: Tibetan ... spoken in: Tibet, Jammu, Kashmir & Ladakh, Karnataka, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bhutan
~~~~~ TIPPERA ~~~~~
written in: Roman, Bengali ... spoken in: Tripura ... other names for this language: Tripuri, Kokbarak, Kokborok, Trippera
~~~~~ TULU ~~~~~
written in: Tigalari (Tulu) was used for writing Vedic texts in Sanskrit, Kannada (ತುಳು), Malayalam (തുളു) ... spoken in: Karnataka, north Kerala
~~~~~ URDU ~~~~~
written in: Urdu (اردو) ... spoken in: Uttar Pradesh, Delhi, Bihar, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka
~~~~~ ZELIANG ~~~~~
written in: Latin, Meitei ... spoken in: Nagaland, Manipur, Assam ... other names for this language: Empeo, Jeme, Kacha, Zeme, Zemi ... spoken by: Zeme Naga people
~~~~~ Last updated: 18:42 03-12-2024 (DD-MM-YYYY) ~~~~~
