Karnataka Government Examining Proposal to Declare Tulu as State's Second Official Language

Karnataka's government is evaluating a proposal to declare Tulu as the state's second official language. Kannada and Culture Minister Shivaraj Tangadagi informed the legislature that a committee, headed by the Department of Kannada and Culture director, is studying how other states implement multiple official languages.

The committee recently visited Andhra Pradesh to understand how Urdu was declared a second official language there. This study was initiated following advice from Karnataka's law department that thorough research was needed before making such a decision about Tulu.

Previously, a committee led by Dr. Mohan Alva had submitted a report on Tulu's history, heritage, script, and literature. The law department noted that under Article 345 of the Constitution, states can declare official languages after appropriate studies.

Tulu is primarily spoken in Karnataka's coastal Dakshina Kannada district, and the proposal was raised by Congress MLA Ashok Kumar Rai. The government will make a decision after reviewing the committee's findings.