The Peoples’ Linguistic Survey of India is a right based movement for carrying out a nation-wide survey of Indian languages especially the languages of fragile communities such as nomadic, coastal, island, hill and forest communities.

There are 88 volumes in the series of People’s Linguistic Survey of India being published by us. This book is Part 3 of Volume 31, Paschimbanger Bhasha  [the Languages of West Bengal] [Bangla] of The People's Linguistic Survey of India Series (PLSI) undertaken and executed by Bhasha Research and Publication Center, Baroda.  

The book contains the information on languages and linguistic variety of the West Bengal State of India. The languages/dialects included in this book are as follows :
Scheduled Languages : 1.Urdu;  2.Nepali; 3.Bangla; 4.Bodo;  5.Santhali.
Non-Scheduled Languages : Kurmali,  Kurukh, Kol Hayam, Kora, Kheria Shabor, Garo, Toto, Dukpa/Jongkha, Tamang,  Dhimal,  Birhor,  Bedia, Boigani, Malto/Malpaharia,  Mahali Alkhand, Mundari, Rajbongshi, Rabha, Limbu, Lepcha, Lodha Shabor, Sherpa, Sadria. There is a chapter on ‘Endengered Languages of North Bengal’.

This volume looks at history, linguistic details, grammar, literature and word list of the languages included, covering a wide linguistic range across books, religious texts and periodicals. It brings together the finest scholars as well as teachers, nomadic peoples and laymen to do the research in the area of languages of Bengal.

Unique features:

1. Competition: There is as yet no comprehensive work done on languages apart from the Grierson’s survey which was done way back some 100 years ago during the British regime in India.
2. India-focused unique feature: The volume on West Bengal’s scheduled and non-scheduled languages designed to understand the impact of languages  in community, caste, religion and multiplicity of culture. This sets the book apart from the earlier survey done by foreign authors.
3. Style: Written in simple language, accessible to all readers and research scholars.

Professor  Ganesh  Devy taught English at the Maharaja Sayajirao University, Baroda; a renowned literary critic and activist; founder and director of the Tribal Academy at Tejgadh, Gujarat; and director of the Sahitya Akademi’s Project on Literature in Tribal Languages and Oral Folk Traditions. He received Sahitya Akademi award for his book After Amnesia in 1994. He is an active participant in the functioning of Bhasha Academy. He was awarded the Padmashri in 2014. He is the moving spirit behind PLSI series.

Professor Sankar Prasad Singha is professor in English Department of Vidyasagar university. His specialization is Literary Criticism.  He has published many books.

Dr. Indranil Acharya, is Associate Professor, Department of English, Vidyasagar University. He has many books to his credit which include Towards a Social Change: Essays on Dalit literature published by OBS.

Contents

• Bharatiya Bhasha Lok Sarvekshan [People’s Linguistic Survey of India]
• Rashtriya Sampadak Mandal [National Editorial Collective]
• Bharatiya Bhasha Lok Sarvekshan Granthmala [A complete list of titles in PLSI series]
• Aabhaar [Acknowledgement]
• Samarpan [Dedication]
• Bhumika by Dr D P Pattanayak [Preface by Dr D P Pattanayak]
• Mukhya Sampaadkiya by Chief editor Dr G N Devy [Series Editorial by Dr G N Devy]
• Sampaadkiya by  Professor Sankar Prasad Singha and Dr Indranil Acharya [Volume Editors]
• Pathakon se Vinti [An open appeal to the readers]
• Lipi [Scripts]
• Pie Chart
• Sahyogi Lekhkon ki Suchi [ List of contributors]

BHAG: 1 [SCHEDULED LANGUAGES]
 1. Urdu 2.Nepali 3. Bangla  4. Bodo 5. Santhali

BHAG:2 [NON-SCHEDULED LANGUAGES]
1.Kurmali 2. Kurukh 3. Kol Hayam 4. Kora 5. Kheria Shabor 6. Garo 7. Toto 8. Dukpa/Jongkha 9. Tamang 10. Dhimal  11. Birhor 12. Bedia 13. Boigani 14. Malto/Malpaharia  15. Mahali Alkhand 16. Mundari 17. Rajbongshi 18. Rabha 19. Limbu 20. Lepcha 21. Lodha Shabor 22. Sherpa  23. Sadria 24.Endengered Languages of North Bengal.

Parishisht-I  LekhakParichay [contributors’ introduction]
Parishisht-II  Manchitra [Maps]
Parishisht-III  Shabd-nirdeshika  [Index]