Imphal : The 32nd Manipuri Language Day was observed on Sunday to commemorate the inclusion of the Manipuri language in the 8th Schedule of the Indian Constitution on August 20, 1992. The main function was organized at Iboyaima Sumang Leela Shanglen, Palace Compound Imphal with Longjam Joychandra Singh, President, Manipur Sahitya Parishad, Imphal as chief guest.

Manipuri (Meitei) language has been in existence since 2000 years back till present times, preserving a classical cultural heritage of literature, the chief guest said.Manipuri language,(Manipuri Meiteilon), also called Meitei (Meetei), is a Tibeto-Burman language spoken predominantly in Manipur, a northeastern state of India.

Smaller speech communities exist in the Indian states of Assam, Mizoram, and Tripura, as well as in Bangladesh, Canada, and Myanmar (Burma).Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister of State for External Affairs and Union Minister of State for Education Dr. Rajkumar Ranjan said that the central government has agreed to the inclusion of the Manipuri language in the syllabus of the Indira Gandhi Open University.

Convenor of the Manipuri Language Day State Level Celebration Committee, Leihaothabam Sartchandra said that there are 1.76 million Meitei speakers in India according to the 2011 census. The majority of these, or 1.52 million, are found in the state of Manipur, where they represent just over half of its population.

N Aruna Devi, DEAN of the Manipuri Langauge of the Manipur University said that there are smaller communities in neighboring Indian states, such as Assam, Tripura, Nagaland, and elsewhere in the country.