Tulu gets official status in Karnataka: Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and Suniel Shetty among famous Tulu personalities

Karnataka made Tulu an official language in the two districts where it is most widely spoken, and the celebrations spilled into the streets of Mangaluru and onto social media.

Tulu gets official status in Karnataka. Here’s what it means

The Cabinet unanimously voted to recognise Tulu as an additional administrative language in Dakshina Kannada and Udupi, Chief Minister D K Shivakumar declared following a special meeting. Ministers and Puttur MLA Ashok Kumar Rai joined the celebrations, which included firecrackers and other festivities to honour the news.

The headlines say ‘official language’, but the formal status is narrower. Tulu can now be used alongside Kannada for administrative purposes in the two districts. It does not replace Kannada or become a statewide administrative language. The government has earmarked INR 82 lakh a year for translation, training and related activities, with district administrations overseeing implementation. A draft notification will be issued, with a month for public opinion.

Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, one of the world's most recognisable faces, has said in an interview years ago that Tulu is her mother tongue. She appears on the list of notable Tulu people alongside names like Rohit Shetty and Rakshit Shetty.

Suniel Shetty has also marked the moment on social media. He said, “This one is very close to my heart. Tulu is not just a language I speak, it is a part of who I am. It carries my roots, my memories, my people, my home. It’s a proud moment for every Tuluva who has carried this language and culture with love through generations. Tuluvere Solmelu. 🙏🏻❤️.” The actor has been open about his Tulu roots. He appeared in the 2025 Kannada-Tulu political drama Jai, directed by Roopesh Shetty, and has spoken about his pride in acting in a Tulu film.

Tulu speakers refer to their area as Tulu Nadu and are located in Dakshina Kannada, Udupi, and Kasaragod in north Kerala. In the 2011 Census, almost 18.5 lakh persons identified Tulu as their mother tongue. Its written history is frequently traced back centuries by scholars; some even assert that it dates back about 2,500 years. Tulu is often regarded as one of the developed Dravidian languages, according to 19th-century linguist Robert Caldwell.

Much of the language's heritage lives in the paddana oral epics, Yakshagana, and the ritual tradition of Bhuta Kola, which reached a huge audience through Kantara.

Committees studied the case over several years. Following the submission of the Mohan Alva Committee's report in February 2023, the government investigated the ways in which Andhra Pradesh, West Bengal, and Bihar manage extra official languages. Tulu's request to be added to the 22-language Eighth Schedule of the Constitution is still pending. The Centre will make that decision, but advocates hope Friday's action creates momentum.

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