Magahi language
- Magahi language also known as Magadhi is language spoken in Bihar-Jharkhand region of eastern India.
- It has been derived from ancient language Magadhi Prakrit, spoken in ancient kingdom of Magadha.
- It is believed to be the language spoken by Gautama Buddha.
- It was official language of the Mauryan court, in which edicts of Ashoka were composed.
- Magadhi has approximately 18 million speakers and has a very rich and old tradition of folk songs and stories.
- It has not been constitutionally recognised in India and was legally absorbed under Hindi in the 1961 Population Census
- Why in news? Magahi writer Shesh Anand Madhukar was honoured with Sahitya Akademi Bhasha Samman award.