Rivista di Studi Sudasiatici - contenuto non piu disponibile

Jammu and Kashmir’s official language is Urdu while the majority of its population speaks Kashmiri. This might be explained as a concession to the state’s Muslim majority, being Urdu an identity symbol of the Muslims. The present paper, by adopting the perspective of the language policy, will show relevant aspects of the difficult relationship between New Delhi and the State of Jammu and Kashmir. Contemporary India’s linguistic conditions and the Urdu question are here examined together with the conditions of Jammu and Kashmir. A sketch of the history of Urdu in Kashmir is presented, in order to explain the issue of Kashmiri language and identity, as well as the fact that Urdu was established as the official language of the State.