UNESCO has declared Kashmiri ‘vulnerable’—can revival efforts reverse its decline?
Kashmiri, a member of the Dardic subgroup of the Indo-Aryan languages, boasts a rich literary and cultural heritage dating back over a millennium. It has served as a medium for Sufi poetry, spiritual discourse, and philosophical thought, as exemplified by poets like Lal Ded and Sheikh Noor-ud-Din.
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) has also declared the Kashmiri language as “vulnerable” in its Atlas of the World’s Languages in Danger. A language is considered “vulnerable” when it is still spoken by most children, but its use may be restricted to certain domains such as the home. While Kashmiri is not immediately at risk of extinction, this designation indicates that it faces significant challenges in being transmitted to future generations and in maintaining its presence in public, educational, and cultural spheres.
However, in recent decades, the use of Kashmiri has declined. A variety of factors have contributed to this trend:
- Educational Policy: In many schools, Urdu and English have become the primary mediums of instruction, marginalising Kashmiri.
- Urbanisation and Migration: In urban areas, social and economic mobility is often associated with proficiency in English or Hindi, which leads to a reduced emphasis on local languages.
- Social Perception: Some parents believe that fluency in dominant national or international languages offers better opportunities, so they consciously avoid teaching Kashmiri to their children.
- Political Instability: Years of conflict in the region have disrupted cultural and educational initiatives that might have supported the language.
Revival Efforts: Glimmers Of Hope
Despite these challenges, there is a growing awareness among scholars, activists, and community members about the need to preserve and promote the Kashmiri language:
- Academic Inclusion: Some universities in Jammu and Kashmir now offer Kashmiri as a subject. Literary organisations have also been working to promote the language through poetry readings, publications, and cultural events.
- Media and Literature: There has been a modest revival in the production of Kashmiri content in print, radio, and digital platforms. Social media has provided a new outlet for young speakers to create and share Kashmiri-language content.
- Government Initiatives: The Jammu and Kashmir Official Languages Act, 2020, recognised Kashmiri as one of the official languages of the Union Territory. Although this is largely symbolic, it has the potential to pave the way for institutional support and broader usage.
“If we lose our language, we lose our way of seeing the world.”
What More Needs To Be Done?
To reverse the decline, coordinated efforts are essential:
- Introduce Kashmiri as a subject and medium of instruction in primary schools.
- Encourage parents to speak Kashmiri at home to nurture early fluency.
- Produce children’s literature, cartoons, and educational apps in Kashmiri.
- Train teachers and provide linguistic resources in schools and colleges.
- Promote Kashmiri in film, music, and journalism to increase its visibility.
A Shared Responsibility
UNESCO’s declaration should be more than a warning—it should be a wake-up call. Languages carry not just words, but also the soul of a community. When a language fades, it takes with it generations of memory, wisdom, and identity.
The preservation of Kashmiri is not just the responsibility of linguists or cultural organisations—it’s a collective duty shared by families, educators, policymakers, and the Kashmiri-speaking community at large.
As long as there are voices willing to speak it, stories waiting to be told, and children eager to learn, Kashmiri can still thrive. But the time to act is now.
Kaisar Mushtaq
ka*************@***il.com