Language

The official language of the state of Karnataka is Kannad. However the local indigenous population of the state also speak other languages. The state of Karnataka has a strong cultural and historical background which is manifested in the rich development of language and literature of the region.

The Kannad language belongs to the Dravidian group of languages. A significant attribute of the Kannad language is that unlike the other north Indian languages, the Kannad language has no influence of Urdu.

Some of the people of the state of Karnataka also speak the other important languages of the Dravidian family like Tamil, Telugu and Malayalam. Almost all the citizens of Karnataka are proficient in English language.

One of the oldest languages of the Dravidian family, the Kannad language has many rich literary creations that reflect the culture and tradition of the people of the state. During the ancient times, the Kannad literary personalities like Srivijaya and Guna Varman wrote profusely on Jainism. The three gems Pampa, Ponna and Ranna also made immense contribution to the development of Kannad literature. Harihara, Raghavanka and Kereya Padmarasa were devotees of Lord Shiva who composed many literary marvels in praise of the Supreme Being. The modern era saw the rise of many eminent literary personalities like Bhattakalanka Deva, Nijaguna Yogi and many others who wrote extensively to enrich the language.

The Kannad language is a well developed language with a rich literary base. One of the prominent languages of India, the Kannad language is taught in many famous universities of India.