Sindhi Language in India Before partition and after partition

Before 1947, this ancient mother tongue of Sindh people was widely spoken in Sindh, which was part of British India. It had a rich history, but it faced many challenges in getting official recognition. The British government preferred English and Urdu, which made it difficult for Sindh people to grow in education and administration. This article explains the status of the language in India before and after partition and the struggles it faced.

A. Sindhi language in India before partition

Status of Sindhi language in India before 1947

It was mainly spoken in Sindh but was not officially recognized at the national level in India before Partition. However, within Sindh, the British made some efforts to use it:

In 1848, Sindhi replaced Persian as the official language in Sindh for government work.
In 1853, it became the language of courts in Sindh, meaning legal cases could be heard in Sindhi.
Despite these steps, English and Urdu remained more powerful languages in education and administration.

So it gradually gained importance in administration and legal matters. The British introduced it as an official language for government work, replacing Persian. Later, it was also used in courts, allowing legal proceedings in the local language. However, despite these advancements, English and Urdu continued to hold more power, especially in education and higher administration.

Sindhi in Schools and Education

Before 1947, learning Sindhi language in India was difficult because: Most schools in Sindh taught in Urdu or English. There was lack of literature , like books and newspapers were not common, making it harder for students to study in Sindhi language in India. Higher education was almost non-existent because universities focused on other languages. Some scholars and activists tried to promote the mother tongue in schools, but British policies favored English and Urdu.

Challenges Before Partition (19470

1. Different Scripts: Sindhi had multiple scripts, which created confusion, Muslims used the Perso-Arabic script (similar to Urdu).
Hindus used the Devanagari script (similar to Hindi). Sikhs sometimes used the Gurmukhi script (similar to Punjabi).

Thats why was not widely taught in schools before 1947 due to the absence of a unified script, which created confusion among different communities. Muslims primarily used the Perso-Arabic script, Hindus preferred the Devanagari script, and Sikhs sometimes used Gurmukhi. This lack of standardization made it challenging for the government to introduce this local Zaban (سنڌي) in educational institutions and official use. Without an agreed-upon script, printing textbooks, teaching materials, and conducting examinations became difficult. As a result, Sindi struggled to gain official recognition in schools, and many institutions opted for languages with established scripts, such as Hindi and Urdu, for education.

2. British Preference for English and Urdu

The British government focused on English and Urdu, limiting local سنڌي Sindi and people had to to learn Urdu or English to get government jobs.

3. lack of Higher Education in Sindi language

Universities did not offer higher degree in Sindhi-language, due to lack of literature available in Sindi.

4. Lack of Publishers

Most newspapers and books were printed in Urdu or English.
Sindhi-newspapers had low readership and little financial support.

5. No National-Level Recognition

Before the partition of India, the University of Bombay did not offer a full Sindhi-Degree. However, it was included in some courses as a secondary subject. Higher education mainly focused on English, Persian, and Sanskrit, while Sindhi-language was mostly taught at the school level. It was preserved through literature and community efforts rather than formal university programs.

Before 1947, Sindhi was a strong regional language but faced many difficulties in education, administration, and publishing. The British favored English and Urdu, making Sindhi less powerful. The lack of a single script and no official status at the national level made things harder.

Even with these struggles, Sindhi remained an important language of trade, religion, and culture in Sindh. The challenges before Partition later led to even more struggles when Sindhi speakers migrated to India after 1947.

B. Sindhi Language in India after partition

The partition of India in 1947 led to a large-scale migration of Sindhi-speaking Hindus from Sindh to India, primarily to Bombay, which had historically been closely connected to Sindh. Unlike other linguistic communities in India, Sindhis did not have a designated linguistic state, which created unique challenges for their cultural and linguistic survival.

Sindhi refugees arriving in Bombay faced several obstacles. Although they were not a religious minority, their distinct cultural practices—including heterodox Hindu traditions, meat consumption, and unique caste structures—made them stand out. Many resident Hindus viewed them as outsiders, which resulted in social and economic discrimination.

For instance, landlords charged Sindhi refugees inflated rents, exploiting their vulnerable status. The absence of a homeland made Sindhis a stateless linguistic minority, exacerbating their struggles for recognition and resettlement. The historical separation of Sindh from Bombay in 1936 further complicated matters.

Many Sindhi-leaders had opposed the division, arguing that Sindh’s historical and economic ties with Bombay were strong. However, after partition, the Bombay government actively sought to disperse Sindhi-refugees (migrants from Sindh) rather than accommodate them, citing limited resources and rising nativist sentiments.

The Bombay Refugees’ Act of 1948, modeled after colonial-era laws like the Foreigners Act of 1946, granted the government extensive powers to relocate and confine refugees, further marginalizing Sindhis. While wealthier Sindhi-refugees resisted these policies through legal and political means, poorer refugees/Muhajirs suffered forced evictions from their temporary camps.

Nanik Motwane, a prominent Sindhi-leader and philanthropist, strongly opposed the forced dispersal of Sindhi-refugees. In a letter to Bombay Congress leader S.K. Patil, he argued that Sindhis had a historical right to remain in Bombay due to their deep-rooted connections with the city.

He pointed out that while Punjabi refugees had Punjab and Bengali refugees had West Bengal, Sindhis had no homeland of their own. This argument underscored the unique predicament of Sindhi refugees—unlike other displaced communities, they lacked a territorial base in post-partition India.

Challenges in Linguistic and Political Representation

Sindhi-refugees not only faced housing and economic difficulties but also struggled to establish their linguistic and political identity. Many local politicians in Bombay and other states viewed the influx of Sindhi-refugees as a threat to regional jobs and resources. The rise of linguistic nationalism in Maharashtra, Gujarat, and other states further marginalized Sindis, who lacked electoral power.

Veteran Sindhi-Congress leader Choithram Gidwani accused fellow Congress politicians of harboring nativist sentiments, which led to indifference toward Sindhi rehabilitation efforts. The demand for linguistic states in India intensified after partition, creating additional obstacles for Sindh people.

While other linguistic communities sought states where their languages would be officially recognized, Sindh people had no region to claim. Political figures like Oliver Godsmark noted that linguistic minorities, including Sindh people, Gujarati, and Kannada speakers, felt particularly threatened by the push for a unified Marathi-speaking Maharashtra. Sindhi-Congress leaders lobbied for representation in Bombay’s legislature, fearing that a linguistic reorganization of states would leave them even more politically marginalized.

Seeking Refuge in Princely States

Outside of Bombay, Sindhi-refugees settled in large numbers in princely states such as Jodhpur and Kachchh. Many Sindh people preferred princely states because they believed the ruling princes would offer them better protection and stability compared to the Indian government. Historically, Sindhi-traders and pastoralists had strong economic ties with these regions, making them natural destinations for displaced Sindh people.

In Kachchh (then the Cutch State), where the culture and language bore similarities to Sindh, Sindhi-merchants led by Bhai Pratap sought to establish a refugee township. The Maharaja of Kachchh initially granted 15,000 acres of land for Sindhi resettlement near the port of Kandla, envisioning a trade hub that would allow Sindhi-businessmen to revive their commercial networks.

However, the Indian government soon took control of Kandla and reduced the refugees’ allocated land to 2,600 acres, placing it under the Sindhu Resettlement Corporation. This move frustrated Sindhi-leaders, as the government utilized Sindhi-resources to develop the area while limiting their control over it.

The Impact of Linguistic Reorganization

The creation of linguistic states in India further complicated the status of Sindhi-refugees. The Nehru Report of 1928 had already highlighted the difficulties of forming linguistic states due to the presence of princely states with mixed linguistic populations. The Dar Commission of 1948 reiterated these concerns, warning that linguistic provinces would create new minority issues.

Despite initial resistance, the Indian government eventually moved toward linguistic reorganization, leading to the creation of Andhra Pradesh in 1953 and later, Maharashtra and Gujarat in 1960. However, Sindhi-refugees remained without a linguistic state of their own. Leaders like N.R. Malkani argued against linguistic states, fearing that they would worsen Sindhi discrimination.

As a result, Sindhi in India was recognized as an official language in India in 1967, but without a territorial base, making it the only scheduled language without a corresponding state.

Preserving Identity in Post-Partition India

Despite their challenges, Sindh people made significant efforts to preserve their language and culture. They established schools, cultural organizations, and literary institutions to promote Sindi heritage. The Sindhi language in India continued to thrive through literature, religious practices, and community efforts, even as younger generations increasingly adopted regional languages like Hindi, Gujarati, and Marathi.

While Sindhis successfully integrated into Indian society, their language faced the risk of gradual decline due to a lack of official support and territorial identity. However, their resilience ensured that Sindhi language in India a part of India’s linguistic and cultural landscape, despite being a language without a land.