International Mother Language Day

International Mother Language Day History

International Mother Language Day is dedicated to promoting linguistic and cultural diversity, and multilingualism. The premise of the celebration is rooted in the belief that languages are essential in preserving and developing cultural heritage. UN body, UNESCO, declared the day in 1999 to encourage the use and respect of mother languages worldwide, and to acknowledge the linguistic rights of people who speak minority and indigenous languages. The day also honours the important role language plays in education, social integration, and development.

The introduction of International Mother Language Day holds special relevance to India, a country where more than 2,000 distinct dialects are spoken across 28 states and 9 union territories. The day's history is connected to the Bengali Language Movement in East Pakistan, now Bangladesh, a region that shares cultural and linguistic ties with the Indian state of West Bengal. The movement in 1952 protested against the imposition of Urdu as the only national language, leading to violent conflicts. Today, Indians utilise International Mother Language Day to raise awareness of the nation's linguistic diversity and highlight the significance of multilingualism in India's social, economic, and political life.

In India, educational institutes often organise cultural programmes, language festivals, and competitions to celebrate the nation's linguistic kaleidoscope. Commemorative events are hosted, especially in regions like West Bengal, Tripura, and Assam, where Bengali is the predominant language. Cities with a vibrant multicultural lifestyle, like Delhi, Mumbai, and Bangalore, run campaigns promoting multilingualism and cultural inclusivity. International Mother Language Day occurs annually on February 21, a date chosen to commemorate the valiant protesters' sacrifice during the Bengali Language Movement in 1952.

Top 10 Facts for 2026 International Mother Language Day in India

• In alignment with global efforts to preserve linguistic diversity, the following facts highlight the significance and local context of International Mother Language Day for an Indian audience:
  
  The official theme for the 2026 observance is Youth voices on multilingual education, emphasizing the pivotal role young people play in revitalizing native tongues through digital content and community leadership.
• The year 2026 marks the Silver Jubilee of the international observance, celebrating over 25 years of global advocacy since the first celebration was held in 2000 following UNESCO’s 1999 proclamation.
• The date February 21 specifically commemorates the 1952 Bengali Language Movement or Bhasha Andolan, where students in Dhaka sacrificed their lives to secure recognition for their mother tongue, a struggle that remains a point of deep cultural pride in West Bengal and across India.
• Under the framework of the National Education Policy 2020, India is increasingly prioritizing instruction in the mother tongue or local regional languages until at least Grade 5, aiming to bridge the cognitive gap for children during their foundational years.
• India currently leads the world in linguistic variety but also tops UNESCO’s list for endangered languages, with nearly 197 indigenous dialects, such as Madhika and Great Andamanese, facing a high risk of extinction.
• The Indian government's Bhashini initiative is utilizing artificial intelligence to enable real-time translation across 22 scheduled languages, a technological leap that is expected to be a major highlight during the 2026 celebrations.
• Literature remains a primary vehicle for language pride in India, with classic works like Chowringhee by Sankar and satirical masterpieces such as Raag Darbari by Shrilal Shukla serving as essential touchstones for understanding regional cultural identities.
• Major cultural institutions in India, including the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, typically organize nationwide festivals like Bhasha Sangam to promote the idea of Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat through multilingual poetry and folk performances.
• The ongoing International Decade of Indigenous Languages (2022–2032) provides a decadal focus that places special urgency on the 2026 observance for the preservation of tribal languages across the Northeast and Central India.
• The celebration often draws attention to the Three-Language Formula, a policy intended to ensure that students learn their mother tongue alongside Hindi and English to foster a truly multilingual national identity.

In the News and Trending in India for International Mother Language Day

Top things to do in India for this observance

• Gather with friends and family to assess your local education system. Does it provide adequate language instruction and second language instruction? Second language acquisition has been linked with critical thinking, creativity and flexibility of the mind.
• Generate awareness for International Mother Language Day by using the hashtags #InternationalMotherTongueDay, #IMLD, #motherlanguage or a hashtag followed by the language of your post (#english, #bengali, #xhosa).
• Visiting Cultural Centers: Many regional cultural centers in cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Bangalore host events that showcase the diversity of Indian languages. These events often include book fairs, poetry readings, literary discussions, and music performances in different languages.
• Language Rallies: One of the most common events organized all over India is rallies, where people gather wearing traditional attire, carrying banners and placards with messages promoting linguistic diversity.