Indianness in Indian English: A Historical Perspective on Identity

Abstract India, the land of remarkable pluralism is a nest of multiple ethnicities, cultures, religions and languages. A country that holds onto its cultural and traditional roots deeply. India is a nation with a richness of languages that are known to honour both the elderly and younger ones. Where the proverb goes like ‘Kos kos par badle paani, chaar kos par badle vaani.’ This holds the literal explanation and meaning that every few kilometres, a new language changes, similar to how water does! Enveloped by the mighty Himalayas in the North, the Southern Indian Ocean, Khasi and Eastern Mizo Hills and Karakoram in the West; India once caught the attention of the world for its riches and so was known as the ‘golden bird’. The British Raj then confined this bird and imposed English as the official language throughout their control. Indian culture, already renowned for its diversity, had a profound impact made on it by English, beginning from this point. As language serves a vital function in shaping identity, this paper probes into the evolution of English in India. Covering from its introduction in the 16th century during the Mughal Empire to its large-scale acceptance. The purpose of the paper is to investigate the development and progress of English in India. Furthermore, it outlines how English has influenced India and explores and examines Indian identity and Indianness in Indian English.